Queen of my Heart
by Virgo Writer
Summary: All is lost love is found but what about when its the other way round. When Prince Li found his destiny he didn't expect her to be kidnapped then cloaked in the magic of an evil witch so he can't find her but no one ever counted on her finding him. S S
1. Phrophecy

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS 

Queen of my Heart – Prophecy

The lady bowed before the king and queen.  The queen held her new born son in her arms proudly looking at her subjects.

"My gift, your majesty is the future," the lady told them.  "Your son is the one they speak of in the ancient prophecy."

"A prince shall rise above the rest searching for a love who leaves her heart open to the world.  She shall be the one who will help him conquer the evils of the world.  Without her he shall become the evil he could have sought out to destroy.  It is only through her love that the world will be saved and only through her love will he find true happiness."

"Thank you," the queen replied cradeling the boy to her chest protectively.  "is there anything you could tell us to make finding this girl easier?"

"Only that she has magical abilities and royal blood," the old woman told them as she bowed and walked away.

The boy awoke from his slumber.  His mother smiled as he opened his amber eyes and sighed contently as he made himself comfortable and curled up in his mothers arms.

"One day you shall be king my son," the queen told him stroking his face.  "For now you are still a little wolf and you will always be my little wolf."

"Thank you all for coming to show your respects," the King told his subjects.  "He is my pride and joy and the future king.  My son Prince Syaoran."

"So what shall we do?" Yelan asked her husband.

"I don't know," Kenji sighed.

"well we can't tell him," Yelan told him. "I don't want this kind of pressure on him.  Yes he will look for her, but we won't tell him that his decision will impact the future of our world."

"I agree," Kenji nodded.  "No one can tell him  of his destiny."

~ Seventeen years later ~

Today was Syaoran's seventeenth birthday.  He was about six feet tall with honey brown hair and amber eyes.  He had a muscular physique after the many years of training he had done in martial arts and other contact sports as well as magic.  He stared at their kingdom from the balcony at his rightful place next to his father.

_'I can't believe that one day all this will be mine,' _he thought to himself as he watched his father make an announcement.  He looked into the horizon, staring into the neighbouring kingdoms wondering what he will find when he visits them as he searches for his wife.  He wondered if they would throw themselves at him as the girls of his own kingdom did, or if they would be dull and boring with no personality as the few that had traveled to meet him already.  He wondered if he would ever find the perfect girl.

"What are you thinking son?" his father asked snaping him back into reality.

"Just trying to figure out what to expect on my travels," Syaoran pondered.

"Do your be best, be the best, and expect nothing but the best," his mother said as she often did.  She walked over and kissed her son and her husband on the cheek.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Kenji beamed at her bringing her into his arms as they all walked back inside the palace.

"Don't settle for whats there," Yelan told him.  "Keep on searching until you find a love you've always dreamed of.  Don't pick a girl just because she's there and expect you'll eventually just fall in love with her, it doesn't happen.  You won't be doing yourself or her, who ever she may be, any favours."

"Thank you mother," Syaoran said forcing  a smile onto his lips though she had just made him more nervous than before.

~ to be continued ~

I hope you liked the first chapter.  I'll have a more fitting summary as soon as I figure out where this story is going.  Please review no mater your feelings towards this story.


	2. The Perfect Stranger

There will be magic in this it's just more 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' type magic rather than the usual CCS magic.

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS.

Queen of my Heart – The Perfect Stranger

"Princess, wake up."

"Do I have to, just ten more minutes please."

"But your father said that you have to wake up early so you can meet . . ."

"Not another suitor," she moaned rolling onto her side so she faced the wall.  "I hate meeting suitors.  Some arrogant, incompetent exceptionally mind-numbing tenacious Lord who father promised a date with the princess in order to maintain his loyalty.  Isn't there another way that doesn't involve me getting up close and personal with these mindless jerks?"

"Sakura this time it's different," Mina told her.

Mina had been Sakura's maid and friend since forever.  She had the terrible job of trying to get Sakura up every morning.

"What's so different about this time?" Sakura asked sitting up so she could look at Mina's face.

"It's a prince," Mina told her.

"That's great, an upgrade," she scorned.

"Plus you can bring Madison and Chelsea and even Zachary if you really want," Mina added.  "So you don't have to be alone."

"You mean if he's a total ass like they always are, I can completely ignore him and just talk to Madison and Chelsea?" Sakura said happily.

"Not quite in those exact words," Mina sighed.

"I can't believe I agreed to this," Syaoran sighed getting more and more nervous by the second.  "I mean what if she's like some kind of self righteous little tramp.  Or worse one of those prissy little princess's that lock themselves indoors so that they won't break a fingernail?"

"Then you got me and Meilin," Eriol shrugged.

Meilin and Eriol were his best friends though you wouldn't believe that him and Eriol were even friends the way they carried on, but they were always there for each other anyway.  They had been friends so long he could hardly remember how they met.

"Anyway," Eriol continued, "I've heard about Princess Sakura.  She's definitely no self righteous tramp or some prissy fragile princess."

"I hope not," Syaoran sighed.

"Are we early or are they late?" Meilin asked.  They stood on the beach Syaoran and Eriol throwing flat rocks into the sea and seeing how far they went before they dropped into the ocean.

"Neither," Eriol said as he turned around pointing to four people walking towards the beach.

Syaoran turned around watching them get closer.  He saw that it was three girls and one girl.  He'd almost feel sorry for him if it weren't for the girl to his right.  He looked carefully as they came closer and let out the breath he had subconsciously been holding and tried to contain his laughter.  Now he felt sorry for the girls, especially the one on the right.

"Zachary," Eriol and Syaoran laughed, as they got closer.

"Li," Zachary said breaking away from the girls to meet his friends. "Eriol.  What are you guys doing here?"

"We were about to ask you the same thing?" Syaoran asked.

"I'm here with them," Zachary said pointing to the girls behind him.

"Poor things," Eriol said sadly shaking his head in a sympathetic manner.  "So which ones this Chelsea you've been bragging about in your letters?"

Chelsea blushed and looked away.

"I guess her," Syaoran said gesturing to Chelsea who just nodded.  "Which means one of you two are Sakura?"

Syaoran studied them carefully hoping it was the one who had caught his attention from the start.  She had light auburn hair that hung just below her shoulders.  She wore a gold charm in her hair, which he hoped was a substitute for her crown.  She had beautiful emerald eyes and peach skin with just a hint of rouge on her cheeks and cherry colored lip-gloss.

He took her hand in his and gently brought it to his lips and hoped against hope that he had the right girl for he knew that he could feel some kind of chemistry between himself and her.  "The pleasure is all mine, Princess Sakura," he said bowing his head.

"I . . . uh . . ." Sakura stuttered trying not to be mesmerized by the gorgeous amber eyes that were looking into her own emerald as if they could read her soul, her every thought in a mere glance.  "Um . . . thank you Prince Syaoran," she said as she blushed.  "This is my best friend Lady Madison," she said trying to take the attention off herself.

Syaoran took Madison's hand and kissed it and turned to Eriol and Meilin.  "This is my friend Sir Eriol and my cousin Lady Meilin," he said introducing them to the princess and her friends.

Eriol gazed at the girl sitting across from him.  For the first time since they left their kingdom he was actually glad to have joined Syaoran in his quest.  He had to admit consoling unattached, delusional, dejected princesses did have its perks, but it looked like things were going to be different this time.

"So how long have you known Sakura?" Eriol asked.

She looked up at him with her deep blue almost violet eyes and smiled.  Her face was framed by her long black hair, which contrasted with her ivory skin.  "Since forever," Madison replied.  "Our mom's are best friends so we've always been there for each other. How did you and Syaoran meet?"

"Fist fight, first day of grade school," he said shrugging his shoulders as if it was an everyday occurrence.

Madison's eyes filled with surprise.  She quickly changed the subject.  "So what's Prince Syaoran really like?" she asked.

"To tell the truth, he's a pain in the arse," Eriol replied.  "He is a stubborn, selfish irritable prick with no patience for anyone other than his close friends and family who would rather be tortured with red hot pokers than get married."  Eriol looked over to where Sayaoran and Sakura were sitting rather close together talking and staring into each other's eyes laughing occasionally at something the other said.  "But I think Sakura's going to change all that," he added seriously.

"Me too," Madison agreed.

~*©*~

I hope you liked this chapter.  I know it took a long time to get posted but I finally did.  I'll try to get the next chapter posted faster but I don't even have an idea for what happens next.  Please review.


	3. Loving the Moment

I'm really really sorry that this took so long

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS, if I did Sakura and Syaoran would have had one of those love at first sight deals going on.

Queen of my Heart – Loving for the Moment

Sakura stared at the three girls in disbelief.  She shook her head vigorously after the initial shock had died down enough for her to start thinking clearly.  "No way," Sakura said persistently.  "I'm not doing it.  Not now, not ever.  Absoulutely not."

"We know you want to Sakura," Madison smiled slyly

"Yeah, but that's beside the point," Sakura protested, "Which is that I'm not doing it."

"C'mon Sakura," Meilin joined in.  "Syaoran won't mind."

"Yes he will," Sakura disagreed.  "How would you react if some random girl who you only just met came up and kissed you?"

"Sakura it won't be that bad," Chelsea pleaded.  "You've got to do it."

"Fine," Sakura surrendered dejectedly realizing that she was outnumbered three to one.  "I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered.

She walked briskly to where Syaoran and the guys were talking.  

"Syaoran, um . . . I . . . uh . . ." Sakura began.  _'It's now or never,'_ she told herself even though never seemed the more appealing option at the moment.  She took a step forward and pressed her lips against his.  She treasured the feel of his warms lips against hers but broke the kiss before either could get too comfortable.  "Bye," she said quickly before she ran off followed by Chelsea and Madison who quickly said their goodbyes.

"I think that's my cue," Zachary said before he said goodbye and ran to catch up to the three girls.

"What just happened?" Syaoran asked as his brain finally slowed down enough to allow the function of speech.  His body was in overdrive.  Sakura's kiss had left him speechless and pining for more.

"If I remember correctly," Meilin said.  "You just got kissed by the girl you have _so_ obviously fallen for."

"Looks like we've finally found the future Mrs. Syaoran Li," Eriol said.  "Poor girl."

"Very funny," Syaoran scoffed.

Sakura flopped onto her bed, closed her eyes and sighed.  She thought about that magical goodbye kiss with the boy of her dreams.  She thought of his honey brown hair and small smile.  Most of all his amber eyes.  The way they made her feel like she was the only one there.  She felt like he could see into her soul and knew exactly what she felt for him. 

She began to hum a little tune to herself eventually adding words to it and turning it into a song.

Sakura was snapped back to reality by a small tap on her bedroom door.  Sakura opened the door revealing a twenty two year old woman and a baby.

"Hey Ruby," Sakura smiled.  

"Hey Sakura," Ruby replied.  "I just had the distinct feeling that Sapphie here wanted to see her favorite aunt."

"I'm her only aunt," Sakura said.

"Not if Eriol has his way," Ruby giggled.

Sakura smiled as she realized where she had seen the prince's friend before.  It had been five years now but she was almost positive it was he.  Sakura looked at Ruby seeing the little things that gave away that she and Eriol were brother and sister (A/N: I don't know if they are in the series but I've decided to make them brother and sister in this.  By the way I don't know what Ruby looks like so bare with me).  Ruby had long mahogany hair and dazzling blue eyes.  She was a bit hyper but she was a good friend and Sakura knew that there wasn't anyone who would make a better Queen and made her brother so happy.

"Can I hold her?" Sakura asked.  Ruby nodded and placed the child in her arms.

Sakura smiled down at her niece.  Sapphire was only one year old and the most gorgeous baby she had ever seen.  She had sapphire colored eyes just like her mother, and her fathers raven black hair.  She shared the same mischievous grin that Eriol and Ruby shared and Tori and Sakura's turned up nose.

"Ruby, can I ask you a question?" Sakura asked looking up at her sister-in-law.

"Sure, anything," Ruby said sitting down on the bed and preparing for a girl talk session.

It was times like this that Sakura was most thankful to have Ruby around.  Her mother had died when she was little so it was really hard for her to talk about certain things with her brother and dad.  Ruby was like an older sister to Sakura, she was easy to talk to and always willing to listen.

"What's being in love like?" Sakura asked trying hard not to blush.

Ruby smiled at her and began to speak.  "Love is amazing," Ruby told her.  "It's the best feeling you could ever feel.  Just imagine the happiest day of your life," Ruby paused to let Sakura think.  "Now multiply that by infinity and imagine having that same feeling every day for the rest of your life just knowing that you're going to spend it with them."

"But how would you know you're _in love_?" Sakura asked.

"You kind of just know," Ruby shrugged.  "You just get this feeling as if you're walking on air whenever you see them.  And when you don't, you feel like your hearts been ripped out of your chest and mercilessly shredded to pieces.  You feel like singing and dancing everywhere.  Suddenly everything has this new beauty that you've never noticed before from the delicate pattern of a spiders web to the enriching sent of peonies."

"Aren't there any warnings?" Sakura questioned.  "I mean little hints so you already know what's happening before it comes."

"Love is many things Sakura," Ruby smiled.  "But it's never predictable."  Ruby grabbed her baby and left the room after leaving Sakura with her last words to think about.  She headed downstairs to where Tori and Aiden were already meeting their guests.

Tori spotted her the moment she entered the room and quickly moved to her side before she even said hi.

"Surprise," he said kissing her cheek.

"What do you mean?" she asked staring at him quizzically.  Tori smiled and stepped aside so that Ruby could get a better look at the guests.  "Eli," she cried happily as she spotted her little brother (A/N: I'm making Eli Ruby's nickname for him).  

Eriol blushed at the sound of his nickname.  He had eventually gotten used to hearing it over the years but it was still embarrassing, especially in public.

"You didn't tell us this was the kingdom your sister had moved to," Syaoran smiled, "Eli," he added just for effect.

Eriol ignored him and walked over to his sister and her husband.

"Is that Sapphire?" Eriol asked looking down at the baby in her arms.

Ruby nodded proudly and handed her to him.  "She looks just like her daddy," Ruby smiled taking a quick glance at Tori.

"She's far too cute for that," Tori told her.  "She's obviously inherited your beauty.

"I'm going to leave you two to talk among yourselves," Eriol told them heading over to Syaoran and the others.  

"I can't believe she's related to you," Meilin said.

"Who?" Eriol asked.  "Ruby or Sapphire?"

"Both," Syaoran joked.

"I'll just ignore that last comment," Eriol told him, "For we all know you only joke to keep us off another subject."

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked.

"It's just that my sister is married to the brother of the very girl you've fallen madly in love with," Eriol said innocently.

"I . . . uh . . ." 

"That's what I thought you'd say," Eriol smiled.

Sakura rushed down the halls lat as per usual.  Her father told her to be on time, he said that they had important guests.  Sakura was already twenty-five minutes late.

She stopped immediately as she ran into another person.

"Just my luck," she mumbled staring at the ground rather than making eye contact.

"I'm really sorry.  Are you alright?" a familiar male voice asked as he got up and held out his hand to her.

"Um . . . Yeah, thanks," she said.

She took the hand out stretched to her and looked up into his amber eyes.  She smiled as she looked into his eyes thinking about how much they reminded her of a lions, how they were almost the colour of gold.  It only made her realize that something so beautiful and majestic could be so dangerous.

~*©*~

I'm sorry that took so long but I had a major case of writers block concerning parts of this chapter.  I hope it's alright, please review no matter what you think.


	4. To Be Loved

Disclaimer – I can dream and wish as much as I want but the sad reality is that I don't own CCS and never will. *Sob**sob*.  
  
Queen of my Heart – To Be Loved  
  
Syaoran stopped himself suddenly; his hand remained poised in front of the door only inches away from knocking. He turned and walked away from Sakura's door for the twentieth time that day.  
  
'She's just a girl,' Syaoran told himself as he walked away. 'There's no difference between her and all the other princess's.' He was wrong, there was a big difference between her and them. Because for the first time in his life he was in love and Sakura was the reason why. For the first time in his life, Syaoran was in a situation he couldn't control, he was doing something he didn't understand, and it confused him.  
  
He didn't know what he was feeling or why he was feeling it. He didn't know why he had walked up to Sakura's door at least twenty times in the same day and each day he would walk away only seconds before he knocked. He didn't know why his heart would begin to race every time she entered a room, and why his palms began to sweat at the thought of her. He didn't know anything about anything anymore accept that there was something about Sakura that was doing this to him and it was only a matter of time before he realized what.  
  
Syaoran walked towards the large library down the hall. It was like a large tower connected to each level of the castle filled from top to bottom with books. The setting sun shone through the windows bathing a feminine figure curled up on the chair in a heavenly glow. He didn't want to disturb her and decided to just watch her for a few moments before speaking.  
  
"It's beautiful isn't it?" he asked moving closer to her.  
  
Sakura turned suddenly and tried desperately to control her blushing cheeks as Syaoran walked towards her.  
  
"I'm sorry if I startled you," he said.  
  
"It's alright," she smiled, "I didn't expect anyone else to be in here. There are more interesting things to do in this kingdom than hanging out with a bunch of musty old books. Just don't tell Nikki I said that."  
  
Syaoran chuckled as he sat down in the chair opposite her own. "I think this room has the best view in the entire castle," he told her focusing only on her. He hoped his voice hadn't given away his nerves and that the line sounded as smooth as it was supposed to be.  
  
Sakura looked down at the ground knowing that if she looked into his amber eyes she wouldn't be able to look away. She could get lost in them forever from one glance, still she forced herself to look down, not wanting let on away her feelings. "I've got to go," Sakura said as she began to get up from her chair.  
  
"Wait, please," he said cupping her hand in his own. She turned back to him and looked at him her eyes finally locking with his for the first time since that day after they met. Syaoran searched his mind for anything to say. He had been so caught up in the moment that he hadn't even thought about what he would say. "I . . . uh . . . Would . . ." he began. Sakura looked at him questioningly her eyes rimmed with hope. Just then it came to him, in an instant he knew exactly what to say. "Sakura would you like to go riding with me tomorrow?"  
  
"So what did you say?" Madison asked. She sat cross-legged on the floor opposite Sakura as they took the latest Cosmo quiz.  
  
"Would you: a) go casual – jeans and a t-shirt. b) Hippy – totally retro with flares and miniskirts. c) Sexy but classy – short redress with a low cut and stiletto heals. d) Professional – pinstriped power suit and briefcase. Or e) not at all?" Sakura asked trying to change the topic back to the quiz they were currently taking.  
  
"Definitely sexy but classy," Madison said. "So what did you say?" Madison asked again.  
  
"I'd probably go with casual, but not so casual that I look like I didn't put any effort in at all," Sakura said ignoring Madison's question.  
  
"You know we have two options here," Madison told her. "I can either a) have you tell me now," Madison said smiling coyly, "or b) I can go ask Syaoran myself. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to answer my questions especially after I tell him about your dream last night."  
  
"Don't you dare," Sakura said frantically.  
  
"Then answer my question," Madison retorted.  
  
Sakura sighed as she realized her defeat. "I said yes," she said quietly.  
  
"Pardon."  
  
"I said yes," she repeated.  
  
"That's great but I think we have a small problem," Madison said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sakura," Madison sighed realizing just how clueless her best friend could be, "you don't know how to ride a horse."  
  
"Oh, that."  
  
"Hey Sakura," Syaoran said kind of nonchalantly smiling gently.  
  
"No, that's not right," Syaoran, sighed. He was meeting Sakura in an hour and he didn't even know what he was going to say.  
  
"How you doin'?" he tried mimicking Joeys posture, voice and gestures. It took an extremely vast amount of self-control to keep from laughing at himself, something he rarely did.  
  
"I got an idea," Syaoran heard Eriol say from somewhere outside his line of vision. Syaoran sighed preparing to hear Eriol's boneheaded idea for a joke.  
  
"Em erm. Sakura, how do I love thee?  
  
Let me count the ways.  
  
I love thee to the depth the breadth and height.  
  
I love the with thine heart and soul and life . . ."  
  
"Sod off Eriol," Syaoran growled trying his best just to ignore the four eyed, blue haired freak.  
  
Sadly Syaoran's offer fell on deaf ears, it didn't quite seem to appeal to Eriol and he just went on talking. "How about a love song?" Eriol suggested. Without waiting for Syaorn's reply he then attempted to sing (off key of course) a few lines of a love song he had recently heard on the radio. (A/N: I am apologizing in advance to all Westlife fans including myself, and the band itself, especially Shane).  
  
"Tell me what makes a man  
  
Want to give you all his heart  
  
Smile when you're around  
  
And cry when you're apart  
  
If you know what makes a man  
  
Want to love you the way Li do  
  
Sakura, you got to let him know  
  
Cause Syaoran's in love with you."  
  
"Funny Eli," Syaoran grimaced as he grabbed the nearest blunt object while he searched the room for his "friend". "Where the heck are you?" Syaoran asked suspiciously after scanning the whole room.  
  
"You know the saying. What you can't see, you can't hurt," Eriol answered.  
  
Syaoran closed his eyes concentrating hard on the object he desired. "And you can't see full stop," he added as a pair of invisible glasses landed in his hand.  
  
"Hey I needed those."  
  
Syaoran closed his eyes again, this time concentrating on locating Eriol's presence. Syaoran kicked back as he locked on his stumbling target. There was a loud 'oomph' as Eriol hit the floor and finally appeared grasping his . . . err . . . um . . . stomach, yeah stomach.  
  
"So what clever lines are you going use to get Lady Madison swooning," Syaoran asked. "Emphasis on Lady," he added.  
  
"Why my favorite quote from American Pie of course," Eriol replied undoubtedly. "Suck me beautiful."  
  
"Do you really think she's going to go for that?" Syaoran asked disbelievingly.  
  
"It's better than 'how you doin'"  
  
"Stuff you Eriol."  
  
"Same to you Syaoran."  
  
~*(*~  
  
I hope you liked this chapter. I think this is what I get for trying to write three stories at once, actually five including the ones I haven't even put up yet. Anyway please review no matter what you think and I'll try and get the next chapter up somewhat faster. 


	5. Utter His Name

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS

Queen of my Heart – Utter His Name

Syaoran helped mount the two horses.  The horse he was using was jet-black mere called Obsidian.  The other was a gentle dapple-gray called Mercury.  He had asked the stable hand if the princess had a favorite horse, the boy replied that there wasn't one to his knowledge as he rarely saw the princess out here.  Syaoran's sisters and his cousin, Meilin, all loved dapple grays, he on the other hand found them too tame for his liking but figured it was a girl thing so that's why he chose Mercury.

Sakura arrived a few minutes later looking rather flustered, but cute, in slightly worn blue jeans with sakura blossoms sewn into the corners, and a ¾ tank top.  She smiled at him nervously as she walked into the stables.

"You ready to ride?" he asked as he passed her a helmet.

"I think so," she replied biting her lip anxiously.  "There's just one small problem."

"What's that?" he asked hoping that this wasn't just her way of blowing him off so she wouldn't have to hang out with him.  He was sure she had plenty of offers, she was after all the most breathtaking vision he had seen in his entire life even in minisculey shabby horse ridding attire, he wouldn't surprised if she had thousands of men lined up to marry her.

"Promise not to laugh?" she asked.

Syaoran smiled, slightly relieved by this proposition.  It proved she wasn't just using some excuse to get out of it.  "Cross my heart," he replied drawing a cross with his finger across his heart.

"I don't know how to ride a horse," she told him quietly.

"Really?  I'm sorry I suggested it," he said.  "I just figured all princess' knew how to ride a horse, that's what my sisters do all day.  But then I should have known, because you're nothing like other princess'."

Sakura blushed at the comment and averted her gaze to the ground beneath her suddenly interested in her shoes.  "It's alright," she shrugged.  "Why don't you teach me?" she suggested suddenly looking up into his amber eyes. 

"Sure," he replied.  "It's a good thing I choose the dapple gray."

"Why?"

"They're one of the tamest breeds of horses you can find," he told her.  "I'll help you get on.  Andrew," he said turning to the stable hand, "could you take Obsidian outside while I help the princess."  The stable hand nodded and led Obsidian outside.

"Now all you need to do is put your left foot in that stirrup and haul your other leg over top," he told her.  He carefully put his hands on her waist as he lifted her slightly to help her up onto the horse.  Sakura shivered with pleasure to feel the warmth of his body brush against hers.  He helped her find the stirrup and held her as she hauled her other leg over the horses back.  "There," he said when she was in position.

"I think I'm getting the hand of this," she smiled.  "What next?"

"Wow," Sakura awed as she looked across the landscape.  "I can't believe I've never been up here before.  I've lived her my entire life and I've never once been up here.  It's so beautiful."

Syaoran nodded in agreement.

"Do we really have to go back now?" she asked.

"I guess so if we want to get back before dark," he sighed.

"I guess," she sighed.  "You know what, we should do this tomorrow."  Syaoran's smile got wider at the prospect of another date with Sakura.  "We can bring a picnic and stay out here all day until sunset."

"It sounds good," Syaoran smiled.  "We can leave early and spend hours out here."

"I'd like that," Sakura said.

"Then it's settled," he told her.  "I'll meet you at the stables at nine o'clock tomorrow.  I can't believe you've only been ridding for a few hours."

"I had a good teacher," she replied as she began to lead her horse away.

Syaoran hurried to keep Obsidian in step beside her.

"Do you need any help getting down?" Syaoran asked her.

Sakura nodded.  "I think so."

Syaoran quickly got off his own horse and went to her side.  He placed his hands on her waist and she rested her own on his shoulders to keep her balance, as he gently lifted her down from the horse.  Their eyes locked and for a long moment they just stayed like that, Syaoran's arms around Sakura's waist, Sakura's around Syaoran's neck.  Slowly their faces got closer and closer until they were mere inches apart.  Sakura's breath caught in her throat as she realized what was about to happen.  That she was about to kiss Syaoran Li, and this time he would kiss her back.

Syaoran caressed her cheek lightly as they got ever closer.  Then it happened, their lips met in the soft and meaningful kiss they had each been wishing for, ever since the first.  Everything around them began to get blurry and eventually disappeared until all that was left were the two of them and the only thing that mattered was that moment that they wished would never end.

They regrettably pulled away slowly as the kiss ended.  Syaoran looked into her eyes and finally found the courage to tell her how he felt.  To tell everything he felt inside.

"Sakura, I- I," he stuttered.  "I love you."

Sakura looked at him and smiled tears welling in her eyes.  Syaoran wiped them away with his finger.  "I love you too, Syaoran," she told him.

"You do?" he asked unable to hide his surprise.

She nodded.  "I'll see you tomorrow," she smiled as she kissed him on the cheek and skipped away.

Madison, Meilin and Ruby all looked up as Sakura danced into the room.  "I finally understand what you mean," she sighed contently to Ruby as she flopped down on the bed dreamily.

"About what?" Ruby asked.  

"About love," Sakura smiled sitting up.

"You found somebody?" Meilin asked.  "Poor Syaoran.  He's going to feeling terrible when he finds out."

"Why?" Sakura asked.  "When it's Syaoran that I love."

"It is?" Meilin asked excitedly.

"Does he know?" Madison asked.  "You have to tell us everything."

Sakura quickly explained the day's events.  "We're going to have a picnic tomorrow."

"What are you going to wear?" Madison asked frantically.

Sakura rushed to the stables at half past eight.  Her entire life, she couldn't remember a time when she was on time for something, but this was going to be different.  This was so important to her, she didn't want to be away from him, even for a second.

She looked around the stables and sat down all her thoughts preoccupied by him.  She was so busy thinking about Syaoran that she didn't even notice her attacker until it was too late.  She didn't smell the chloroform until the chemicals had already begun to take affect.  And with her last effort of consciousness she uttered the name closest to her heart.  "Syaoran."

~*©*~

Yes, a cliffhanger.  I love cliffhangers so there's always one somewhere in a story.  Please review because you never know, it might just get the next chapter out the slightest bit faster.


	6. All of Our Tears

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS 

Queen of my Heart – All of Our Tears

Syaoran was cheerful as he walked into the stables at about five to nine that morning.  He couldn't believe how lucky he was.  He could hardly believe that he of all people would be spending a day with this goddess.  He wanted yell it all out to the world; to tell them that he was in love with Sakura and that better still, she loved him back.

He had been waiting half an hour before he began to get worried.  He knew Sakura had reputation for being late, but this was beyond it.  He waited almost an hour before he got really worried and begun to search the castle.

Almost immediately he ran into Madison.

"Do you know where Sakura is?" he asked.

"Isn't she supposed to be with you?" she asked suspiciously.  "Don't tell me you lost your own girlfriend," she said slyly causing Syaoran to blush.

"I don't know," he replied.  "We were supposed to meet at the stables."

"Just go back to the stables," Madison told him.  "She'll be there soon.  Sakura's always late."

"I've been waiting at the stables for just under an hour," he told Madison.

She gasped finally realizing why Syaoran was so upset about this.  True Sakura had a reputation for being late, but that was more like twenty minutes, not an hour.  "Why don't I get the others and we'll all search, that way we'll cover more ground."

Syaoran nodded in agreement his worries evident on his face.

"Don't worry we'll find her," she said sympathetically.

"I hope so," he sighed, "I just wish I could believe it was true."

"Still no sign of her," Madison reported.

"We've been searching for three hours and still no sign of her," Ruby sighed.  "I really think we should tell Tori now."

"You tell him," Madison said.  "I think it will be easier for him if he hears it from you."

Ruby nodded as she went to find her husband.

Tori smiled as he placed the sleeping child in her crib.  He turned around to find his wife standing in the doorway.

Ruby knew she would be smiling right now if it weren't for the grim news she had to give.  Tori always made her smile, especially when he was with Sapphire.  They were the two people she loved most in the entire universe and she wouldn't trade them for anything.

"Hey," he said kindly as he saw her smiling brightly.  It almost made her cry.  She regretted having to tell him.  He looked so happy right now.  "What's wrong?" he asked as he saw the tears welling in her eyes.

"I . . . well . . . you see," she tried to say between her sobs as the tears began to flow freely.  

Tori came and wrapped his arms around her gently and kissed her forehead.  "It's alright," he told her.  "You don't have to tell me."

"Yes I do," she sobbed.  "It's . . . it's about Sakura."

"What about Sakura?" he asked gently.  "Is she alright?"

Ruby shook her head.  "I don't think so.  We looked everywhere, and we couldn't find her."

"I'll find her," Tori told her calmly.  He quickly walked out the room after giving Ruby one last peck on the cheek.  He went to the army officer and ordered him to send his troops out looking for the princess.

The troops searched night and day.  They looked in every possible place but it was as if her kidnappers were always one step ahead of them and she was never found.

~*©*~

I know this is a really short chapter but this part didn't seem right straight after the bit with the chloroform.  Please review and hopefully the next chapter will be longer.


	7. Shall be Lost in the Rain

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS 

Queen of my Heart – Shall be Lost in the Rain

~ 2 years later ~

Syaoran watched his mother from just outside the room.  She sat at her husbands side sobbing heavily as he spoke what could have easily been his last words.  The king struggled with each breath as he gave his wife his dying wish for her and told her how much he loved her.  Kenji Li, a father, a husband and a king, was dying and as he lay there, on his deathbed, he gave each member of his family his last words to remember him by.

He hated seeing his father like this, so fragile and week.  Kenji was the strongest man he knew and it hurt him to see him looking so frail and defenseless as he did now.  Four months earlier, Kenji suffered a heart attack and ever since he only got weaker and weaker as his illness got worse and worse until all that was left of him was the frail old man lying on his deathbed, a shell of his former glory.

Syaoran hid behind the doorframe, as he was his mother move to get up; he didn't want her to know he had been watching.  Yelan was always perceived as such a strong person; she made sure of that by remaining emotionless unless the situation called for it.  This was the first time in his entire life that Syaoran had ever seen his mother cry.  True there had been times when she was upset, but for all those times he had never once seen even the single tear roll down her face.

"Are you ok?" Syaoran asked his mother reading the pain in her eyes that still remained even though the tears had been wiped away.  

Yelan's eyes glistened with tears that threatened to fall.  She looked at her son knowing she could not lie to him and shook her head.  "No," she told him.  "Your father wishes to see you now."

Syaoran gave his mother a quick hug before he entered the room.

"Please don't look at me," Kenji strained, "I want you to remember me as I was.  Strong and proud leading our kingdom."

"And I always will father," Syaoran told the man.  "I will always see you as my father no matter how I look at you."

Kenji sighed.  "I hoped that when this day came you would be married.  But I know how much you love Sakura and I know you will love only her for the rest of your life."

"She isn't dead father," Syaoran told him.  "She's just lost, and I know I'll find her someday."

"I know," Kenji strained.  "Syaoran, I give you my crown.  I know you shall make a wonderful king; it is after all your destiny.  Please look after your mother my son and remember that I'll always watch over you."

"I promise," Syaoran told him his voice breaking with emotion.  "I promise."

"You failed," she croaked in her heavy european accent.

"Sire, it wasn't supposed to be like this," he pleaded.  "He was supposed to become evil without her.  He was supposed to be angry and destroy everything he touched.  He was never meant . . ."

"You waited too long," she hissed cutting him off with a simple flick of her hand.  "You let them fall in love.  You let their aura's bond and because of that he knows that she still lives.  Because of the precious time you let them have together he knows that she loves him so he still has hope and his heart is still pure because it is hers alone."

"But sire," he begged, "I didn't mean it to end like this.  It was the only time I could do it.  She was always surrounded by people, it was the only time she was alone."

"Tell me," she asked.  "Why didn't you kill her when you had the chance?"

"Madame, I couldn't bring myself to kill her.  She has done nothing to hurt us, I couldn't kill her."

"Then I shall have your life instead," she growled flicking her wrist.

The man grabbed his chest as he felt a smoldering burning sensation deep within that got stronger and stronger until it had consumed his body and broken his skin.  He screamed as he saw the black flames that were consuming his body.  The flames kept burning until suddenly they stopped and all that was left were a few mounds of ash.

"Ashes to ashes," she smiled maliciously stroking her fangs with her tongue.  "Dust to dust."  The wind gushed suddenly, gently lifting his few remains onto a soft breeze and whising them away until there was nothing left; not even the queen herself remained.

"I hate it here," Rita moaned turning to her friend beside her who was busy scrubbing the floors with her.  "Wouldn't it be wonderful just to be somewhere else?  You know just anywhere else but here."  Her friend nodded in response.

Rita looked at Lilly and sighed.  She would give anything to be like Lilly.  Lilly looked as though she should be a princess sitting next to the prince as they watched servant girls like them clean their sparkling marble floors, but here she was cleaning the floors for a mean old noble man right along side Rita.  

Lilly had long auburn hair that should have been flowing behind her tossed in the wind not wrapped up in an ugly old kerchief.  She had dull green eyes that at one point in her life were probably a brilliant emerald, which always seemed to be filled with some unknown pain.  She had a sparkling smile that always seemed like it had been forced no matter how happy she was because of her pained eyes.

Lilly and Rita had been friends for two years, ever since Rita found Lilly out in the cold.  Lilly had lost her memory; she didn't know who she was, where she was or even why she was there.  Surprisingly, Rita's boss took her in and Rita was thankful that she wasn't alone anymore.

"Why don't we?" Lilly suddenly said.

"Why don't we what?" Rita replied.

"Go somewhere else," Lilly told her.  "The palace are hiring, we can go work there.  We can start all over again.  Anywhere's better than here isn't it."

"Definitely," she agreed.

Lilly then stood up, dropped her brush, pulled off her kerchief and straightened her clothes.  She then took Rita's sponge dropped it in the bucket and pulled her to her feet.

"What are you doing?" Rita asked.  "How are we going to explain this if Mr. Dominic comes in?"

"We won't," Lilly told her.  "We'll hold our heads high, turn up our noses and tell him . . ."

"Tell him what Miss. Lilly?" Dominic asked walking through the door.  He looked at the girls questioningly his face holding its usual smirk as though he knew that he had won.

Lilly squared her shoulders, held her head high and turned her nose up at him.  "Why this," she said proudly.  "That we quit."  She turned on her heal and walked over to Rita grabbing her hand and leading her out the door.  "Good day Mr. Dominic," she yelled back.

"What about our stuff?" Rita asked.  Lilly just smiled and pointed towards the window of their room where two suitcases were waiting outside.  "How long have you been planning this?"

"Three weeks," Lilly answered.  "Now what's the fattest rouute to the palace?"

~*©*~

I know that chapter was kind of short too.  Well I hope you liked it anyway and please review and tell me what you think.  

Just a few things that I should mention just to make sure nobodies confused:

Lilly is Sakura

She now realizes she has magic abilities

She and Rita are in Syaoran's kingdom which he is now king of and shall remain nameless unless someone can give me any idea's for a really good one

And for the magic powers they can do just about anything but each person has a special power that no one else has like astral projection or invisibility.  They also all have telepathy but one of them will probably have the power to talk to animals.

That just about sums it all up so please stay tuned for the next chapter.


	8. First Day Jitters

Disclaimer – I don't own Card Captor Sakura.  

Claimer – I own Sapphire after a long and messy legal battle with Ruby and Tori I have custody over her and everything.  Yay me!

Queen of my Heart – First Day Jitters

"Now Miss. . ." 

"Lilly English," Lilly told the man.  "and this is Rita Sutter."

"Yes," the man nodded.  "Now what experience do you have with high class families."

"Well we worked for the Taylor family," Lilly said reciting the first name that came to her mind.  "From the Avalon Kingdom," she added almost as an afterthought.

The man seemed rather pleased by this as the Taylor's were probably the second highest ranking family in the Avalon Kingdom next to the Avalon's themselves.

"You're hired," the man said.  "Let me show you to your rooms."

"Who are the Taylor's," Rita hissed to Lilly as the followed the man down the hall.

"I don't know," Lilly whispered back.  "The name just came to my head.

"I'm just glad to be rid of Dominic," Rita sighed.

"Me too," Lilly agreed.

"Now ladies, these shall be your quarters," the man said opening the door to a room with two beds.  Rita and Lilly were amazed at how different they were from the shabby sorry excuse for even a toilet that Dominic had forced all four maids into.

"Thank you sir," Lilly replied curtseying.

He nodded approvingly.  "You need to be in the kitchen by 5am to be assigned duties for the day," he told them.  "Don't be late if you want to make a good impression.  I hope you settle in.  Good day ladies."

"Good day sir," Rita said as he walked away.  "Oh my gosh," she gasped as soon as he was out of earshot.

"I know," Sakura said as she entered their room.  "This place is amazing."

"C'mon Lilly," Rita said, "we have an early start tomorrow and we all know what you're like."

"Good point," Lilly agreed.  

"Sakura?" he asked suspiciously as he looked at the girl.

She looked back cautiously, as if she were afraid she would get in trouble for looking at him.  She blinked several times, not sure whether or not to believe that what she was seeing was real.

"Syaoran?" she asked back guardedly taking a step closer to her love.

He smiled at her and nodded.  "I can't believe its you," he told her.  "I almost thought I had lost you forever."

She moved closer still.  "You'll never loose me," she told him as she took his hand in hers.  "I promise."

Syaoran moved his hand to stroke her hair, trying to make sure she was real, that she was just some cruel twist of reality.  He caressed her cheek softly as he lifted her face to meet his and gently kissed her soft red lips he had been dying to kiss for the past two years.

"I love you," he told her as he broke the kiss.

She looked up at him and smiled, tears of joy glistened in the corners of her eyes.  "I love you," she whispered back as she faded away into nothingness.

Syaoran woke up suddenly from the nightmare he had just injured.  He'd been having a lot more of those lately.  The only consolation to his dreams was the fact that he got to see Sakura even if she was just a heartless image thought up by his imagination just to torment him.

_'You never miss anything until it's gone,'_ Syaoran thought to himself.  The sad part was that even though he would never trade the few days he spent with Sakura for anything, they had barely known each other long enough to find that out.

He never realized that everything could just fall into place that easily until he met Sakura.  He never knew that love could be so essential until he loved her.  And he never realized that the ground could be pulled away beneath him so quickly until he lost Sakura.

A girl who didn't even realize she had been teaching taught the most important lessons that he would ever learn in his life.  He learnt that life is too short, period.  He learnt that nothing is too small or insignificant to be left to chance.  

Most importantly he learnt that love isn't just  a state of mind, it's the air you breathe in as the sunsets after the perfect day, it's the first sunrise of spring with its awesome range of colour as it invites the flowers to wake after the winters slumber, it's the scent of sakura blossoms as they all come to bloom around you, and its her name as it rolls of your tongue like homey.  Sakura.

God, he missed her.  He missed everything about her.  He missed her eyes, her smell, but most of all, her smile.  God, he missed her smile.

It was hard for even he to believe, but whenever she smiled she seemed to get just that much more beautiful, something he almost believed impossible.

He could still remember the first time he had seen her smile, how even the sun dulled compared to her brilliance.  He remembered the way her eyes would just light up and everything about her began to shine.  He remembered the dimple in her left cheek, how cute and innocent it made her look.

He remembered the way the sun bathed down on her as she watched the sunset from the library tower, how angelic she looked surrounded by its gold aura.  He remembered the way her hair flowed down her back, how silky it felt as he curled his fingers through it.  He remembered the smell of cherry blossoms that always seemed to surround her.

He remembered the way it felt to be looking in her eyes, how he would get lost for eternity.  And the way she looked at him, the way it made him feel like the most important person on this entire planet, how it made him feel like he was all she could see.

Just thinking about her, Syaoran called already feel a tear escaping his eye and falling down his cheek.  His entire life he had thought that tears were a sign of weakness, that anyone who cried was just as weak as the tears they cried.  He believed that any emotion was weakness, that the only way to be strong was to keep your feelings inside.  He had been taught by the best, the strongest, the quickest and all of him told him that his strength was shown by not feeling.

And for years he had believed him.  For years he was cold, uncaring and emotionless.  But that was before he met Sakura, now he knew better.

_'Even the strongest of us cry,'_ he thought to himself recalling his mother, the strongest person he knew, as she sat by his fathers side, crying.  It put a perspective on things.

_'Maybe its just a different type of strength.  Maybe it's something stronger than we could ever conceive.  Or maybe its something completely different all together.'_

As he lay there, letting tears fall freely from his eyes, not having the will to wipe them away, he pondered the true meaning of strength.  He questioned whether to believe in his teachers or to disregard all they had ever taught him and discover what it really meant for himself.

Syaoran sighed to himself.  Now he'd never get back to sleep.

"Syaoran, please.  Syaoran help," she cried out.  "I love you."

"Lilly," Rita said, shaking her friends shoulder lightly.  "Wake up Lilly, you're having a bad dream."

Lilly sat up as she awoke, hugging her friend for some kind of comfort.

"What happened?" Rita asked.

"I . . . I," Lilly began.  "I don't remember," she replied disbelievingly as she shook her head as if to clear it.

"Weird," Rita voiced.  "It sounded pretty intense.  You were practically screaming and calling out for some guy called Syaoran."

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Lilly asked aloud.

"Maybe it's a key to your past," Rita replied.  "Or maybe you're suffering from the same wishful thinking we've all had at some point in our lives."

"What?" Lilly asked.

"Well Prince, I mean, King Syaoran is a major hottie and now that he's finally got himself something that even resembles a heart that's a definite bonus," Rita told her.  

Lilly still looked clueless, especially regarding the last comment.  

"I forgot you weren't here then.  Before you came, when he was still Prince Syaoran he went traveling across the lands searching for a queen, then he came back and he was really different," Rita continued.  "See before he was kind of cold and kept to himself a lot of the time but when he came back he was kind of somber like, but he wasn't as cold.  He was more open, he was sad but he seemed more cheerful than before and he didn't seem quite so emotionless," Rita tried to explain.  "Does that make sense?"

"Not really," Lilly replied.

"Let's just say that most of us have been in love with him, even when he was the heartless prick looking down on us disapprovingly," Rita replied.

"That sure made me less nervous," Lilly said sarcastically.

"First day jitters?" Rita asked.

"More like epileptic fits," Lilly sighed.

"That bad?"

"Worse."

~*©*~

So I hope that was a good chapter.  Seeing as I haven't even gone near this story for somewhere between 4 and 6 months I'm surprised I picked it up so easily.

Please review, it always makes writing that much appealing.


	9. The Echoing Silence

Disclaimer – I do not own Pokemon . . . opps wrong cartoon.  What I meant to say was I do not own CCS.  I do not own the title; I stole it from a Westlife song (I do that a lot, steal from Westlife that is).

Queen of my Heart – The Echoing Silence

King Tori Avalon sat on his throne staring above the door barely listening to the advisors around him.

"Sire, I think we should stop the search," one man suggested.  

"No," Tori replied quite simply.

"It is exhausting our army resources, what if someone declared war upon us?" another argued.

"Then we would talk peacefully with them and come to an agreement, otherwise we would seek the help of another kingdom such as the Li's," Tori replied.

"But sire, why would they wish to help us?" yet another of his advisors argued.

Tori sighed, these me didn't seem to understand what it meant to advise or the difference between advising and telling him what to do.

Tori looked up at them his eyes holding the same conviction as his voice.  "Because sirs," Tori said angrily almost spitting the words out with disgust, "their king would rather send on hundred thousand men into a battle they could never win than have my men end their search for Sakura."

"Sire, would you not rather have your men here protecting the kingdom?" another asked.

"Do you feel as though you are in harm?" Tori asked not waiting for an answer.  "I feel safe, and I feel that my family is safe without an army.  We have guards protecting our gates; protecting our palace we even have guards outside this room.  That is all I need to feel safe."

"Sire, it has been so long, she is surely dead," a man protested.

Tori stood up abruptly.  "She is my sister," he told them angrily.  "I will not give up hope, I cannot, I could not and I will not.  Is that clear."

"Yes sire," they all replied quickly at once.

"If that is all, than I shall go," Tori replied standing before anyone could refuse.

Tori quickly made his way to where his wife and child were.  

He walked out into the place gardens to find Ruby and Sapphire playing underneath the cherry trees.  It was mid spring and the cherry blossoms were all in full bloom around him.  He sighed as memories of Sakura filled his mind.  She loved climbing the cheery trees, especially when they were in full bloom as they were now.

Tori could already see Sakura shinning through in Sapphire.

Despite his sadness, Tori couldn't help but smile as he watched his wife and child play.  They were the only reason that he smiled now, ever since Sakura had disappeared smiling had just got harder and harder.

But kings weren't supposed to smile now were they.  Kings were supposed by strong, and cold.  Kings were supposed to be hard so that when people looked up at them they knew they were protected.

Kings were never supposed to cry; yet late at night while no one was looking that's what he found himself doing.

Tori tried to imagine how Syaoran was taking it.  They had only known each other for a few days but in that short time Sakura had become more to him than anyone could understand.  Syaoran had lost so much in return for a few days with the girl of his dreams.

"Hey you," Ruby said happily walking up to her husband and kissing his cheek.

"Daddy," Sapphire cried out joyfully as she ran into her father's arms.

"Now how's my favorite little kajuu?" Tori asked as he swung her through the air and lifted her to face him.  It was the nickname that he had always given to Sakura and with their likeness Sapphire had easily adopted it.

"I'm not kajuu," she said screwing up her face and poking her tongue out at him.

"Be careful," Ruby warned jokingly stoking the child's ebony hair.  "If the wind changes you may just get stuck like that."

Sapphire immediately pulled her tongue back in and unscrewed her face.  She looked so innocent.  She was three now, her back hair had grown almost to her shoulders and despite the black hair and blue eyes she was almost the mirror image of Sakura at that age.

"So how'd the meeting go?" Ruby asked as they began walking through the large gardens.  Tori held Sapphie in his arms and Ruby's arm was wrapped through his and her head leaned against his shoulder as she made faces at the little girl.

Sapphie giggled.

"Be careful of that wind," Tori warned her.

"You haven't answered my question," she said looking up at him.  

Tori sighed.  "The advisors want me to call off the search for Sakura," he told her looking ahead so she couldn't see the tears that stung in her eyes.  He didn't want her to see him cry, he didn't want her to see him week.  "I just can't do that," he whispered.

Ruby didn't need to see the tears to know that he wanted to breakdown right there and cry.  She stood on her tippy toes and kissed his cheek.

"We'll find her," she assured him.  

Tori turned his head to look at her.  Ruby always knew exactly what to say to make him feel better.

"Auntie Sakura must be a really good hider if you need the army to find her," Sapphire said.

Tori held her away from him for a second so he could look at her face.  He couldn't help by smile at her, yet another reason why she was so like Sakura.

"She is," Tori told her.  

"Can I help look for her too Daddy?" she asked.

Tori nodded and lowered her to the ground.  She immediately ran off searching through her favorite hiding places for Auntie Sakura.

Somehow this reminded him of something his mother used to always say.  "The face of a child can say more than the words of even the greatest poets."  

Sapphires eyes were what spoke to him, they told him not to cry that she was going to make it all, all right.

A woman in her late twenties sat on her own throne glaring at the picture she saw through the burning flames.  It was a picture of the probable future and there was only one-way to stop it from happening, Sakura had to die.

Armies searched for her, yet somehow she had always kept them at bay with illusions and sleeping spells.  They left their families searching for something that if she had her way, they would never find.

She needed to get into the Avalon Kingdom, and all the magic potions and charms couldn't get her there.  The castle was made on the most sacred of grounds, and though they may not know it, the only way that anyone who was surrounded by as much evil as she could get in was an invitation.

That or their crown.

But she needed to get in and the prophecies told her that the boy could do that.  Somewhere behind the high walls and guards was all that remained of the most powerful sorcerer around.  It was a golden staff protected by two guardians (A/N: guess who) the lion and the angel.  The staff gave its beholder unlimited power, that's why it was set on sacred ground and so heavily protected, no one knew just how much power it held and they all feared what it could do in the hands of evil.

She was busy trying to find ways in when suddenly it struck her.

"Kensu come here," she called her voice sickly sweet.

"Yes mi lady," he said bowing.

"I want to declare war upon the Avalon Kingdom," she told him.

"But mi lady," he replied, "the Avalon army are one of the strongest around."

"Yes and to think every last one of them is out looking for their darling princess," she smiled at how cunningly her mind worked.

"But Lady . . ." he started.

She cut him off with a glare.  "Don't you dare use my name."

"I'm sorry mi lady, but what about the Li's?"  He replied not meeting her eyes as he stared at the ground at her feet.  "They _are_ the most powerful army there is, they have more power than all the armies of the world combined."

"Have you forgotten which kingdom we are attacking?" she asked.

"No mi lady, its just that they have a pact and I fear that whatever attack we make against the Avalon Kingdom will only result in our demise.  The Li's army will be there before we can even think about our next attack."  He hoped that she was listening to him, but more than that he hoped she would not be angry.  They all knew her wrath and they knew what she was capable of.

She sighed angrily.  "Then you are dismissed," she said angrily.

He held his breath as he got up.  He slowly turned his back on her waiting for her response.

The moment his back was turned she flicked her wrist.

He didn't start to notice the burning until it was to late.  It started in his chest spreading quickly from there.  He screamed as the flames consumed him from the inside.  It was the sound of an animal that could be heard through out her quarters and echoed through her palace.

Seconds later it stopped as suddenly as it started and all that was left was the sinister silence that filled the land.

~*©*~

So, what do you think?  I hope the Yue and Kero implication was enough for all Yue/Yukito/Julian and Kero fans.  Please review.  I'm not fussy I'll settle for five reviews and I don't even care if they're all flames.


	10. Hoping For Hope

Disclaimer – Reality sucks, its like some big ugly dragon that breathes fire that smells like garlic and I don't own CCS because of it.  Good thing I don't believe in dragons.  

Now to answer some of the questions which have been plaguing my review box.  This story is and AU fic so  the hold card capturing story doesn't have much to do with it so that means the whole clow reincarnation thing is gone to even though I may mention clow so basically the book has nothing to do with it and their powers aren't found in some magic card or incantation, they have real powers like astral projection, telekenisis, invisibility, prophetic vision, time freezing, healing and the sort of thing you would find on shows like Roswell and Charmed.  Eli isn't her father or anything like the weird stuff in the series, the girl with Sakura/Lilly is Rita which is one of the characters from the anime series, I think the one who's marrying the teacher, and the rest of the answers would just ruin the story.  I don't actually have answers yet myself but it won't be this chapter or the one after it but eventually.

Now, on with the story.

Queen of my Heart – Hoping For Hope 

Syaoran Li sighed.

He did that a lot lately.  Actually, to be more precise he had been doing it for 2 years, 1 month, 7 days and approximately 10 hours.

He just wanted to have her back.  He missed Sakura more than he had ever though possible.  He wanted to hold her in the arms just for a second more than he had ever wanted anything else in his life.

Before her he thought he only had one purpose, to be king, so that was all he aspired for, all that he wanted.  Then she came into his life and all he ever wanted from the moment he saw her was her.

But then Syaoran had never been one to get what he wanted.  He didn't have Sakura, the one dream that he wished would come true.  The only thing that he really had was his crown and that was at the expense of losing his father.  He would have preferred to give up his title, crown and kingdom than loose his father.

Syaoran felt like some kind of jynx.  All the people that he even remotely cared about seemed to be dropping like flies.  He loved his father, and he loved Sakura more than life itself, and seemed that both of them had been stolen away from him in the blink of an eye.

It didn't seem fair.

Sakura had been so kind, so beautiful, so caring, so perfect; she shouldn't be gone.  She should be sitting in the throne beside his own smiling at the people below them.

But she wasn't and it made him want to just curl into a ball and die.

He didn't though, because he was still clinging to the hope that Sakura was still alive, that she was somewhere out there searching for her family, maybe even for him.  He didn't know, but it was all he had left to cling to.

So he just carried on clinging to it.  The last bit of hope he had left, the only thing that stopped him from just giving up then and there.  The hope that maybe, just maybe she was out there, alive, looking up at the gray blue sky above him.

So he just kept wishing, kept hoping and kept dreaming of Sakura.

~*©*~

I know that was really short but it just seemed wrong to continued from there and if I'm going to be really honest I couldn't think of anything to write and I didn't want to make you all sit here waiting until I got over my writers block.


	11. And You're In My Dreams

Disclaimer – I don't own Card Captor Sakura.

Ok, now I know the memory thing is confusing but I'm going to explain it later when explaining it won't give away quite so many details.  Lets just say that the foreign evil lady had something to do with it.  Sorry this took so damn long to upload but I had a little bit of writers block, but now the keys are clicking away and I think I'm over it.

Queen of my Heart – And You're in my Dreams

Lilly carefully wiped the full length mirror in the guest bedroom.  She awed at the beauty of it all, the wine and gold drapes, the marbel balcony, the fullsized antique dresser and the fourposter bed.

It was only one of the minor guest bedrooms, but it seemed so beautiful she wondered what the major guest bedrooms were like or even the royal families.

_'This is probably the size of King Syaoran's closet,' she mused to herself as she dusted the antique dresser._

The room had a perfect view of the garden below, Lilly smiled as the thought of the extravagance of the rest of the palace was like.

She closed her eyes imagining she was a princess living in such beauty.

She could picture it all so clearly.  It was different from her surroundings but in her minds eye it was so real, maybe even more real than the room she stood in.  

She could see a library hundreds of stories tall climbing up the tallest tower.  She could see herself looking out the window seeing the perfect sunset falling in the distance.  She could see mountains and hills and rivers winding through the sceneary all so beautiful, so wonderful she could barely find words to describe it all.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" she heard a boy ask in her mind.

She saw herself turn to look at him.  He had amber eyes, honey brown hair and a soft smile.  He was as perfect as everything else in her fantasy, maybe even more so because as she saw him everything else seemed to just dull in comparison.

She sighed as she opened her eyes, sad to find that it was nothing but her imagination.  She had a good imagination.

She could close her eyes and her mind would make up stories about her being a beautiful princess without her having to conjure the images.

In them she would be the daughter of a handsome kind with auburn hair like her own and a woman with hair as black as night and skin as white as snow.  The woman made her think of the tales of snow white, something she could pull from her scattered memory.  There was also another, sometimes he was young and they were both little kids, others he was a man maybe his mid twenties with a wife and a child both as beautiful as everything else in her dreams.

It all appeared so real that she wondered just how much was fantasy and how much was a reality she had once forgotten.  

But she knew not to dream.  She didn't imagine that she could ever be anything more than a servant girl.  She knew not to get her hopes up, she had given up on finding her family too long ago.  

She struggeled to find memories, anything that could tell who she was and what of the family she had lost, but nothing came.  Nothing but the mere fantasies of a life she wished to live.

Not that she was complaining, she loved the fantasies that flew through her mind, but they weren't a real family, they weren't real memories.  They were just wishes that she hoped would come true, nothing substantial and the worst part was that they were all she had.

Well that and a name.  Syaoran.  She wasn't even sure where that name had come from only that he was a key to her past.  Maybe the Avalon Kingdom she had mentioned when they had been interviewed was part of it too.

She sighed again and returned to the job she was supposed to be doing.  She was preparing this room for a some minor guests that would be visiting soon.

DeFoe, her new boss was a perfectioness, and it all had to be perfect no matter how minor the guest.  He was still better than Dominic though who was just a right out prick.  She wouldn't let any detail go unnoticed, she loved the palace and their jobs there, she didn't want to ruin it all, especially so soon.

She couldn't wait for the party.  It would be her first time actually serving the King and his guests.  She wondered what the prince was like, she had heard so many stories about him and heard so many people gush about his dazzling features.  This would be the first time she would see him for herself and she wondered how true all the romours were.

~ *©* ~

Yes, I know yet another short chapter but I think the next one will be just that little bit longer seeing as I believe I may have just got over my writers block.  Its quite sweet and as far as I can tell Syaoran and Sakura will finally meet face to face.

Please review cos I know that if I get at least ten I'll get the next chapter out that much faster.


	12. When My World Came Tumbling Down

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS 

Queen of my Heart – When My World Came Tumbling Down

Cheery music echoed in background of Syaoran's mind.

It was the complete opposite of his mood and only made him feel worse, only adding to the desperate realms of depression that he felt as his mind drifted away to that place where she was still with him.

The ballroom was decorated to a state of perfection.  It was covered in light shades of pink and vivid gold and silver.  Most people seemed to look happy, but no matter how he tried he just couldn't be happy especially today of all days.

_'Its all wrong,' he thought to himself looking around at the beautiful happy scene that played before him.  __'Sakura should be here.  She should be by my side enjoying this all.  She should be part of this, she shouldn't be lost to me forever.'_

At least he wasn't the only one who didn't seem to be enjoying him self.  Eriol, Madison, Tori, Ruby, Mei Lin, all of them though they hid it better than he, were suffering the same pain he did though not quite to his extreme.

It had been three years now.  Three years to the day he had first laid eyes on Sakura Avalon.  Very few knew it, but she was the reason for all this extravagance and had been for previous celebrations.  Heck, she was the reason he did anything.

The reason he breathed, the reason he woke up each morning, the reason that he cried him self to sleep every night; it was all for her and she'd never know.

This was his effort to celebrate her life and that of his he had spent with her rather than mourning the fact that he had lost the one person that had made his life worth living then and even now almost three years after her disappearance.

He found himself reminded of one of the first things that had crossed his mind the first time he saw her.  _'Please be Princess Sakura.'  It was strange how this was one of the first clear thoughts he had all evening and how fitting it became later on._

"How are you feeling, Xioa?" his cousin Mei Lin asked as she moved to his side.

"As good as I could possibly considering," Syaoran sighed.  "I feel like I'm not going to make it through another year without her, but I know I will, because I always do.  I have to, for her."

"She wouldn't want you to be like this," Mei Lin told him.  "She wouldn't want you to spend your life crying over her like this."

"What else am I supposed to do?" he asked her.  "Am I supposed to just get on with my life?  Am I supposed to just go and forget the time we spent together and everything she means to me as if she was never even there to begin with?"

"Perhaps Syaoran," Mei Lin sighed.  "Perhaps that's what she wants.  Perhaps she just wants you to be happy even though she can't be here to make you happy."

"Perhaps that's not what I want.  Perhaps I don't want to forget her or anything else for that matter," he said angrily.  "I love Sakura, and I always will.  I need her, because I love her and I struggle each day to live without her."

"Then find yourself a distraction," Mei Lin suggested.  "It's the best way to mend a broken heart."

"Then let it stay broken.  I don't want a distraction I want  . . ." he trailed off as he noticed someone across the room.  She stood out against the crowd just as she always did and he could see the same shining pale pink aura that he recognised so clearly about her.  "Sakura," he whispered cautiously her name on his lips bringing almost a sense of relief to his aching heart.

Syaoran blinked.

Mei Lin looked carefully at her cousin seeing the trace of a smile, something she hadn't seen in such a long time.  She'd almost believed that he had lost he ability to smile, let alone even be happy when Sakura died, but then maybe there was still a chance that he could get his old self back.

_'It couldn't be,' he thought to himself blinking again to check his eyes weren't deceiving him as he watched her walk back to the kitchen.  __'I must be dreaming.  It's just another cruel twist of my imagination that I'll put all my hope in to only to find again that it is stolen away at the last possible second.  I don't think I could live through that again.'_

He held back the tears that he felt threatening to fall.  He couldn't cry, especially not now with all these people watching him, looking to him for the strength and courage they needed to get through their daily lives.  Tears of any kind would only betray their image of the strong and powerful leader he was always made out to be.

Syaoran struggled to find reason for these tears.  Maybe it was the pain, the same pain he had felt every day for the last three years.  Maybe it was the fear, fear that he was building his hopes up yet again only to have his heart ripped in two by his own naive need for a girl he had been forced to live without for so long.

Maybe they were tears of happiness, something he hadn't felt in so long that he could barely recall what happiness felt like.  Maybe part of him believed more than anything else, that he wasn't dreaming, that it wasn't just another cruel illusion.  That he wasn't putting faith in nothing.

Maybe, part of him had so much faith in the new apprehension of the girl of his dreams that it drowned out all the other cries that told him to stop, to just look the other way and give up before he even began to try, to run before he got hurt.

"Punch me," he said suddenly turning to his cousin who had spent the last few minutes trying to get him out of his trance.

"Why?" she asked confused by his strange request.

"Just do it," Syaoran replied imperatively.

Mei Lin shrugged her shoulders and did as she was told choosing not to question Syaoran's instructions.

"That hurt," he said a small smile, something he had lacked for so long, forming on his once forlorn face.

"No duh," Mei Lin replied.  "That's what usually happens when you ask somebody to punch you who has been trained in martial arts almost as long as you have."

"Excuse me, I have to go check something," Syaoran said as he headed towards the kitchen where he'd seen the girl disappear into only moments earlier.

"Never mind me cuz," he heard her call after him angrily.

Syaoran politely pushed his way through the crowd ignoring most cries for his attention, as he struggled towards the kitchen.  He couldn't stop now, not when she was so close that he could already feel his own aura pulling him towards her as he had felt it do in the beginning.

_'what's a few seconds on three years?'_ he thought to himself as he was held up for a second.  This didn't ease his mind, all he wanted to do was find her and hold her in his arms like he had longed for what seemed like forever.

"Excuse me?" Syaoran said directing his question at the head chef who was preparing a six-course dinner to his own specifications.  "Have you . . ." he started.

"I'm sorry sir," Garcon, the head chef, replied impatiently in a thick French accent, "but I do not have time for silly . . ." Garcon trailed off as he looked up at the confident figure he had said nothing more to in his life that "as you wish sire" to.  "Your majesty," he gasped praying the young king would be lenient.  "How may I serve you?"

Syaoran could see the man was nervous and he had good reason to.  Normally the sort of behaviour that had been displayed required instant exile and often worse, but then Syaoran had more important things on his mind to worry about right now.

"I'm looking for a girl, she was in there serving just before," Syaoran explained anxiously picturing her in his head as he often did.  "She has auburn hair and green eyes and pale skin an . . ."

"Oh yes sire, I know who you are speaking of," Garcon replied.  "She is outside in the garden."

"Thank you," Syaoran smiled knowing he was one step closer to having his dream come true.  "You shall be rewarded for this."

Garcon blinked several times trying to make sense of the situation as Syaoran ran past him to the garden hoping he wasn't going to loose her ever again.

Lilly stood silently in the garden just thinking as she looked up at the cherry trees.  She wasn't even sure about what anymore.  Maybe it was the past, the future or somewhere in between where she was standing right now.

She turned around as she heard a noise behind her.

She recognise the boy straight away, or was it the man that boy had become.  She couldn't help but recognise him, she could never forget.  It was obvious either way as her eyes brightened to the brilliant and vibrant emerald colour they had previously lacked.

He was from her dreams, the one with the castle and the towering library and the perfect sunset.  He was like the dream she'd formed in her head yet so much more perfect in real life.  She found herself becoming entranced by his amber eyes though hidden slightly by honey brown locks reflecting her just as they always had in her dreams.

She pinched herself as she stared in awe hoping he wasn't just another dream.  She searched her mind for that name that had always seemed so familiar on her lips, the name that granted her strength and courage when she needed it the most, the name that sent her heart into an accelerated frenzy.  The name she longed to speak for as long as she could remember.

(A/N: doesn't have quite the same impact when you remember that she had amnesia and can only remember less than 3 years of her life anyway)

And now she could.

"Syaoran," she whispered nervously.

Syaoran felt the walls he had put around his heart that he had put up so he would never again feel a loss like her again cave in around him.  He felt his world crumble away and all that was left was her . . . his one true love . . .

"Sakura."

~ *©*~

A cliffhanger, aren't I cruel?  I made you wait so long just to get here and then I cut it off before it got interesting.

I'll put this up at about twenty or so reviews depending on whether I remember to check them or not so please review and I hope to have the next chapter up soon.


	13. When There's Nothing Left To Risk

Disclaimer – Firstly, how come disclaimer is a word and claimer isn't, damn American spell check.  Anyway now that's out of my system.  I don't own CCS nor have I or ever will own it.  Clamp does and I don't think they're going to give it up too easily.

Sakura lost her memory well at least didn't believe in her memories because the evil queen put a spell on her then hid her in the Li Kingdom knowing that the last place they would look would be right under their noses.  She'd kept Tori's armies on a wild goose chase using magic, but then I guess, like I already said in the summary, she never really counted on Sakura finding him.

Queen of my Heart – When There's Nothing Left To Risk

"Sakura."

That name, it seemed so familiar, so fitting, and so perfect for herself.  The sound of it coming from his lips brought more pleasure than the name that had been chosen for her ever had or could.

_'Please, oh god, please be her,' he thought to himself hoping that he had found again what he had searched for all his life._

"Sakura," he said again, softly the simple word full of heartfelt sincerity that could easily be seen in his eyes.  "Do you remember me?"

Tears of hope welled in his eyes and he struggled more than ever to stop them from falling.

"You're in my dreams," she replied softly.  She wondered if this was who she really was, this Sakura girl that Syaoran felt all this love for.  Could she ever be this girl, the one dressed in silk gowns and silver tiaras?

"And you mine," he told her taking a step closer.

"You taught me to ride a horse," she said, she too taking a step closer.  "And we watched the sunset."

Syaoran nodded moving ever closer to the one thing he wanted more than anything else in this world or any other for that matter.

"Then I kissed you," Syaoran said huskily before gently placing a kiss on Sakura's lips.

She felt shivers of pleasure racing up and down her spine triggering memories of a past that she had longed to know for so long.

"And as I held you in my arms," Syaoran told her building up his courage.  "I looked into your perfect emerald eyes and told you I love you.  And then . . ."

"I love you too, Syaoran," she said uttering the words just as she had so many times in what she had for so long thought to be her dreams.

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear you utter those words once again," he whispered in her ear holding her close as if he never wanted to let go.

"For so long," she told him, "your name was the only memory I had of my old life.  I had the flashes of things but I always just thought they were dreams.  You were always there, making everything else almost disappear and now you're here with me and nothing else seems to matter anymore, as if I never left your side."

"You are Princess Sakura of the Avalon Kingdom," Syaoran told her.  "And I have loved you from the moment I saw you walking down the beach towards me exactly three years ago today."

"Before you, I didn't even know what love was," she whispered, "and now I don't think I could live another day with out you."

"Come with me," he said leading her to the back entrance of the castle towards his own room so as to avoid all the people.

She followed close behind not trusting herself to be able to find her way through the labyrinth of rooms and halls alone.  When they finally got to Syaoran's room he reached under his bed and pulled out a chest delicately engraved with a little wolf surrounded by cherry blossoms.

"Open it," he told her leading her closer to it.

She did as she was told revealing and intricately hand made dress.  It was two-piece made of pink silk and pale pink organza so that as the light shone upon the dress it would shine different shades of pink.  In silver embroidery thread hundreds of tiny little peonies had been sown to add to its intricateness.  The bodice of the dress was based on the traditional Chinese dresses with the same neck and the buttons across the chest and rimmed in silver ribbon.  The skirt of the dress was beautiful and flowing trailing across the floor.  The entire out fit was then topped of with a beautiful silk wrap.

"It's beautiful," Sakura uttered in awe.  She didn't think she'd ever seen anything so beautiful in her life and the way Syaoran had presented it to her made it ever so much more.

"It's yours," he told her.

"I couldn't," she said.  "Its so beautiful, I don't deserve it."  She knelt down beside the box looking at the gorgeous gown not even daring to touch it

"I don't think there's anyone who deserves it more," Syaoran replied.  "It was made for you, Sakura," he added as he moved to her side and stroked a long strand of hair away from her face.

She continued to stare in awe at the beauty of it all.  

Her mind was still struggling with the sudden truth she had found.  Only yesterday she had been cleaning one of the minor guest bedrooms thinking about how she would never be important enough to stay there, dreaming of a life she had presumed fantasy.  Now she was in the most beautiful of all the rooms in the palace with the King himself by her side whispering sweet nothings in her ear and telling her dreams were a reality she had almost forgotten.

But best of all, Syaoran was in love with her and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that she was in love with him.

"Please, for me," he said after noticing she had still made no attempt to move.  He got up leaving her alone to change.

She was out less than ten minutes later looking positively stunning.

He kissed her cheek.  "I almost believed that I would never have the chance to see your face again," he whispered close to her ear as he took her hand in his.

"And I almost believed you were nothing more than a dream," she replied.

"But I'm not," he told her guiding her towards the ballroom where his many guests celebrated for the sheer pleasure of celebrating.  "And neither are you."

"I'm so nervous," she said in a quiet voice looking down at the ground.

"You haven't changed," he said with a happy sigh of almost relief as he lifted her face to meet his as he had so many times before.  "The first time I met you, you barely dared to meet my eye."

Sakura blushed.  "You didn't help me feel anymore confident you know," she told him smiling.

"I'll remember that next time I kiss your hand," he said bringing it up to his lips and planting a small kiss on the back of her hand.  "Ready to face the world you belong to?" he asked leading her closer to the stairs.

"I hope so," she replied before Syaoran planted one last kiss of good luck on her lips and led her into the eyes of all she held dear to her.

~*©*~

Ok, so how was that?  Good, bad, you don't want to say because you're afraid you'll damage my sensitive pride?  Well at least this story is finally gotten somewhere and it's not just a bunch of pining, unknown on Sakura's behalf, and angst.

Please review; I'd really like something between twenty and thirty reviews for this chapter.


	14. Changes And Revelations

Disclaimer – I do not own CCS but Sapphies mine and so is the evil queen lady as soon as I get round to naming her.  I don't own the Westlife song 'Queen of my Heart' which inspired me to write this story and also feature in this chapter.

Sorry this took so damn long, I'm not sure why it did seeing as I've had it sitting here on my hard drive for quite some time.  Anyway, on with the story.

Queen of my Heart – Changes and Revelations

Rita noticed a change in Lilly, one beyond the intricately made clothes, the flawless makeup and the perfect hair.  One that may or may not be only skin deep.

She could see a sparkle in her friends eyes like never before that seemed to light up the entire room.  Her eyes were suddenly the brilliant emerald she had always presumed them to be.  There was a change inside her that was obvious in her every step.

For the first time in the few years that they had known each other, Rita could see that she was truly happy.

She smiled at the scene that was playing before her eyes.

They made the perfect couple.  They were like yin and yang, two separate entities combined to make the perfect whole and neither could exist without the other and neither even wanted to try.  She knew it was true for his eyes also held the same sparkle that had never before been seen in her king.

They were the perfect match, she so bright and beautiful full of light, joy and love, him so dark, brooding and handsome full of hope and suddenly finding a new reason to live each day in the girl at his side.  It seemed that everything about them just seemed to match perfectly from one to another.

It too was obvious in the way they stood together the rest of the world seemingly fading away around them.  It showed in the way they interacted like there was no one else there and the way they looked at each other as if nothing else mattered anymore.  But the thing that displayed in the best was the way that they continued to dance even when the music had stopped playing.

_'Their love speaks so loud that it drowns out all the words, the sounds and anything that isn't part of the two of them,' she though to herself as she looked at the two, smiling at her friends new life.  _'You deserve this Lilly, or whoever you are.  You deserve to know that whoever you may be, you are loved.'__

Sakura's gaze drifted among the many faces looking up at her all wearing the same awe stuck look upon their faces.

She knew who she was now.  She had to be Sakura, she didn't think she could go on if she wasn't.  All these people in the crowd, something told her she knew them and she could feel their names nagging at the back of her mind.

"Whose that?" she heard a little girl ask as she and Syaoran walked gracefully down the steps.  "She's pwetty," she nodded looking up.

The little girl had ebony hair, ivory skin and eyes as blue the midsummer night sky.  She was wrapped in her fathers arms looking up at Sakura with more awe than anyone else.

"Sapphire," she whispered to herself seeing the name fiting so perfectly to the child.

The little girls father nodded at the childs response as tears of joy welled in his eyes.  "That's auntie Sakura," he replied.

'she's part of my family,' Sakura thought to herself.  'i'm a part of that.'

"This is where you belong Sakura," Syaoran told her.

She looked at them.  The three of them stood together, the child, the mother and the father.  Sapphire was a perfect mixture of the two, his hair her eyes and smile, Sakura could almost see herself in the child.

She nodded.  She knew it was true.  It felt so right, so natural and so perfect to be at his side.  She felt as though if she ever left it she would lose a part of herself, that she would no longer be complete and that he would take a part of her with him.

Maybe he already had.  She remembered the way that Rita had often told her how her eyes seemed dull with pain but now as she had seen herself in the mirror she had seen a brilliant light shining through them.

Maybe when she had been taken away from him part of her had been left behind and that part had always been with him waiting for her to return to the one she loved.

She loved Syaoran so much.  They had only found each other a few minutes and already she could feel a connection and a sense of chemistry between then that she couldn't stand to be without.

She wasn't sure how she had survived life without him, but now she couldn't bear to be away for too long.  It was amazing how her life could become so wonderful in a matter of seconds.

Syaoran led her to a group of people.  All of them seemed so familiar, she recognised each and every one of them yet she struggled to find their names.

"Tori," she said suddenly as a name came to her looking to the young man with the small child in his arms.

He smiled and wrapped his little sister in a hug.  "I was so scared we had lost you forever kajuu," he said happily.

"don't call me that," she said angrily her lady like appearance faltering as she stomped down as hard as she could on Tori's foot.

"I'm glad your back Sakura," said the woman beside him, the child's mother.

Like Sapphire, her name was reflected by the colour of her eyes.  They were a deep red colour like stone of her namesake.

"Ruby," she said.

The woman nodded.

'How could I forget them all?' Sakura asked herself.  'How could I have forgotten all these people so close to me, especially Syaoran, so easily?  Now it's all coming back, as if I never even forgot, as if I never left.  I feel as though part of me was always here.'

'I feel like I was drawn here,' Sakura continued to think to herself starting to zone out.  'I feel like I was drawn to Syaoran, just to be near him even if I couldn't be with him at that time.'

"Where have you been all these years?" a girl with pale skin, the darkest black hair and violet eyes.  She looked about Sakura's own age and she was one of the most familiar of all, next to Syaoran of course.

'Madison,' she thought to herself.  'My best friend in the entire world.'

"She's been right under my nose this whole time apparently," Syaoran teased wrapping one arm around Sakura's waist and pulling her closer to him showing that he wasn't going to let her get away from him again.

Sakura giggled at the gesture and knew her friends would want a further explanation.  "I'm only just regaining my memory," she explained.  "Occasionally I'd have these flashes of things, of castles and kings and queens and of Syaoran, but I always just presumed they were the normal daydreams of a servant girl," she chuckled.

"You were working as a servant girl?" Madison asked screwing up her nose at the thought of it.  "I see what he meant by right under his nose."

"But I guess they were all true, and it's all coming back to me," she added sighing happily and leaning into Syaoran's arms.

The first few chords of a song began to play.  Sakura smiled as she found it so familiar, it was one of her favourites.

"So here we stand, in our secret place," Sakura sang softly in time with the music.  It seemed to take her away for a little while.  She could see herself and Syaoran together in front of her eyes just as she had always dreamed as Lilly, the nameless servant girl, but now she knew it was a reality she couldn't bare to leave again.

"May I have this dance?" Syaoran asked her, whisking her back to this beautiful reality.

Sakura nodded as he took her hand in his and led her to the dance floor.

Sakura sighed contently as Syaoran took her delicate figure in his powerful arms.  She felt so safe and protected here in his arms.  She felt complete and hoped she would never have to let go again.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear as their bodies moved in perfect harmony with each other and the music flowed around them.

They easily became caught up in each other as though the three years of misery, pain and a feeling of loss hadn't even occurred.  

They didn't notice the way that people around them had stopped dancing.  Or how everyone had moved into a wide circle around the dance floor so they could watch the two.  They didn't notice the whispers of amazement to see Syaoran with a girl, let alone one who had been presumed dead for so long.

They didn't notice it all fade away until all that was left was them and the constant waltz beat of the music they danced to.

_So here we stand in our secret place_

_Where the sound of the crowd is so far away_

_And you take my hand and it feels like home_

_We both understand it's where we belong_

_So how do I say, do I say goodbye_

_We both have our dreams_

_We both want to fly_

_So lets take tonight_

_To carry us through_

_The lonely times_

_I'll always look back, as I walk away_

_This memory will last for eternity_

_And all of our tears will be lost in the rain_

_When I find my way back to your arms again_

_But until that day you know you are_

_The Queen of my Heart_

_So lets take tonight and never let go_

_While dancing we'll kiss like there's no tomorrow_

_As the stars sparkle down, like a diamond ring_

_I'll treasure this moment till we meet again_

_But no matter how far away you may be_

_I just close my eyes and you're in my dreams_

_And there you will be_

_Until we meet_

_I'll always look back, as I walk away_

_This memory will last for eternity_

_And all of our tears will be lost in the rain_

_When I find my way back to your arms again_

_But until that day you know you are_

_The Queen of my Heart_

_I'll always look back, as I walk away_

_This memory will last for eternity_

_And all of our tears will be lost in the rain_

_When I find my way back to your arms again_

_But until that day you know you are_

_The Queen of my Heart_

_Queen of my Heart_

Sakura felt as though she was floating on air.  She no longer felt the ground under her feet or much else for that matter.  All she could feel were Syaoran's strong arms wrapped around her waist.

She treasured it, the feeling of completeness and happiness that she hadn't felt for so long.  She treasure the feeling of his arms around her, the feeling of his chest rising and falling against hers, the spark of electricity she felt as he touched her skin.

She treasure the warmth that filled her as he caressed her cheek and the tingle that spread up and down her spine from where his hand rested lightly as they dance.  

She closed her eyes on instinct as she gave in to all these feelings of pleasure, euphoria and anticipation that consumed her as he gently nestled his hand under her chin and drew her towards him into the sweet and passionate kiss that she had unbeknowestly longed for three long and lonely years.

Suddenly the two were brought back to reality from their own secret world they had slipped into by a loud applause.  It seemed that the music had stopped long before they had stopped dancing, and that the people had moved away giving all a clear view of the king and his one true love that had been lost for so long.

The two blushed from the attention that had been drawn to themselves but remained in each others arms.  

Syaoran smiled cheekily as he took a bow and his guest applauded loudly.

"Kiss her again," he heard a voice that was easily recognised as Eriol's call from the crowd.

Syaoran turned to Sakura raising an eyebrow at her as he prepared to oblige his strange friends request.  Sakura smiled and closed her eyes as she too was ready to oblige.

And as everything began to disappear and the air was filled with a harmonic song just for them, they shared a kiss that would not be their last.

She screamed.

It was all she could do right to dispel the frustration.  She only knew one thing for sure, she wasn't going to let it end this way.  

They could count on it.

~ *©*~

Done, a nice long one to make up for the immensely short ones you've been forced to put up with for so long.  Everything is finally working out for the best, but then if you've read as many S+S fics as I have you know that doesn't usually last long.

Sorry, no happy ending yet.  I can't just end it leaving the evil queen lady hanging.

Please review.


	15. The Grey Area

_"There are no happy endings just pleasant beginnings."_

Disclaimer – I was going to have a clever, quirky little disclaimer but after having to delete it several times because of some stupid 'Body Text Indent' thing which just stuffs up anything you tell it to do when you put it up on ff.net I gave up so just put up with it while I try to live with the fact that firstly, Bill Gates must die (Damn you Microsoft 98, it's just as bad as 97) and secondly, that I don't own Card Captor Sakura.

I changed Natasha (or Nadeshiko but basically Sakura's mum) name to Hyacinth because Natasha doesn't seem to suit her too well and I wanted to name her after a flower because it would be more fitting.

Queen of my Heart – The Grey Area

She screamed again, her frustration becoming more and more adamant with each one.

"Your highness, can I be of service?" one of her men asked as he came into the room trying to help her in some way.

"No," she said angrily turning towards him.  

With a mere flick of her wrist he was set alight just because she wanted to see someone other than herself suffering.  The flames consumed his body slowly pulling a small smile to her lips as she watched him try to scream but she had already sealed his mouth shut.  

For so very long she had taken pleasure in watching the young prince turned king later on, suffer a pain of great loss that could never be replaced.  She had tormented him in his dreams; giving him images of his beautiful cheery blossom he wanted more than anything else only to steal them away at the last possible moment.

She had enjoyed it so much to watch the tears fall from his eyes when he thought nobody could hear him, that nobody could see him in this state of weakness that he tried so hard to avoid.  But she could see, she delighted in every tears he shed, every cry that left his lips and ever plea that crossed his mind.  His torture was bliss for her, it made up for all the pain she had felt, revenge if you wished for what she had been deprived.

Though it wasn't him that her revenge was sort to, he wasn't even what made her the happiest.

No her sole source of this same pleasure was the girl.  The one who didn't realise the that she had lost it all except in a deep part of her mind that she could not access thanks to her, but the girls was just so much easier to torment, so much more satisfying to plague, it was only sad that the poor girl could not remember it in the morning.

But it was all so fun for her.  To see the look of anguish flash through her eyes as her one true love was killed repeatedly by none other than her very self.  She imagined there was no greater pain than to watch the one you would give your life for, the one that meant more than anything else in your life die at you own hands.

The girls innocence and naivety made it that much easier.

The girl was sickly sweet, so much so that it made her want to barf or something.  She couldn't bear to hurt another living creature, it only made the revenge, the sweet taste of victory as she crumbled to tears in her dreams that much more rewarding.

But now the girl new, now they had found what they lost and now she was the one who had lost.

It was strange.  Most people said that your power was always so closely entwined to your emotions, but strangely enough she felt more powerful than ever.  According to what most people said, she should feel meek, feeble and powerless, instead quite the opposite had occurred.

Maybe it was simply because her emotions were fuelled by anger, and she could feel the anger coursing through her dark veins.

She couldn't help but feel angry, ineffective, or maybe even powerless if you wanted to go so far, she had failed.  It wasn't just a simple plot or maybe someone else bidding, she had failed herself and she knew that she couldn't blame this on some moronic, meaningless underling no matter how hard she tried.

It all still played before her eyes as she looked into the gently rippling water.

The happiness shone through their eyes as if they had never been apart, as if these last three years that she had spent causing so much trauma had all been some sad nightmare they were both glad to be awakened from.  They were together again and that meant that there was nothing she could do to get back what was hers.

She slapped the water angrily disrupting the image that floated within it, but only for a second.  She turned away angrily and walked up to her throne deciding to think.

She sat their for a long moment in perfect silence remembering how all this had begun and it didn't take her long to realise that there was someone she could blame.  Her darling sister, the sweet Hyacinth.

It had all started so very simply, the moment that Hyacinth had bet her into the world.  From that moment Hyacinth had always been the first and the best at everything the two would strive for.  

Because Hyacinth had come first by five measly minutes, she had become everything that she wanted to be instead.

Hyacinth was the pretty twin, the smart twin, the nicest twin, and the most loved twin.  She was the first one to be courted, the first to be offered any important positions there were to be held, and the first in line for the throne that she so desired.

And Hyacinth was so nice about that too.  She didn't rub it in her face like most would; no she acted like it meant nothing to her, as though it wasn't even important.  She acted as though rather than an honour bestowed upon her alone, it was a medial task that she was forced to perform and that was something far worse.  And even sadder was the fact that she wasn't actually acting, that she truly didn't want it, but would accept it merely because she had to.

But then the opportunity came along.

Dearest, darling Hyacinth, the smarter, lovelier, more beautiful one that god forbid could ever make a mistake, did.  She fell in love, the biggest mistake you could possibly make especially when on the brink of being betrothed to the prince of one of the strongest kingdoms around, the Li's.  It was lucky for Hyacinth that he fell in love with an empress in his own kingdom with high noble blood.

Hyacinth on the other hand, had fallen in love with the lowest of low, well maybe not that low but low all the same.  A lowly professor had stolen her heart.  Sweet, perfect little Hyacinth had made an unforgivable mistake and she was looking forward to reaping the benefits, such as the throne that should have been hers to begin with.

So she had helped her sister, after all they were twins and should stick together am I not correct?  Hyacinth was thrilled, thought that finally she and her sister had found a link, that they could finally be friends not just blood relatives.

How pleased she had been?  How naïve and stupid and trusting she had become, much like her daughter.

"Thank you Rose," she gushed happily as she set off for her secret meeting with the lowly school teacher as Rose promised to make excuse for her.

She smiled sweetly at her trusting older sister, though she struggled to hide the malice in her eyes.  

She loathed her so much more than any could imagine.  She should have been the first born, not her.  She should have been the one betrothed to handsome princes from faraway kingdoms.  She should have been the one who was born for greatness, for queen.

But life is never how it's supposed to be; she had learnt that the hard way after many years of having to stand in Hyacinth's shadow.  She had known she wouldn't be able to stand there for much longer.

She came up with a plot, one that would destroy Hyacinth and her precious Aiden along with handing her the crown that was so rightly hers to receive.

It was so simple, so spiteful, and so ingenious she glowered in her intentions.  It was completely and utterly foolproof, how could it ever go wrong?  But it did, because as they say 'nothing is foolproof to the sufficiently talented fool'.

Hyacinth was so easily manipulated.  It took so little an effort to convince her to runaway and elope with her one true love.  All she had to do was tell her that love should surpass all else; that it should mean more than family and that it conquers all.  She was hers before she even spoke the words "Amor Omnia Vincit" which meant so much to Hyacinth, the words she practically lived by.  The idea's had already been in Hyacinth's head, all she had to do was push the right buttons, tell her that their parents would never approve of Aiden's status and that if she loved him than nothing should stand in their way.

That was all she needed to do.  As soon as Hyacinth ran away and was eloped to her darling teacher the throne would be hers and hers alone. 

But that wasn't enough for her.  

She wanted more; she wanted to see Hyacinth suffer, to see anguish and pain cross her perfect features as her heart was torn from her chest in one swift and simple motion.  She wanted revenge for all the years that she had been forced to be second best to perfect Hyacinth, all the years that she had been forced into Hyacinth's shadow.

She wouldn't be Hyacinth's shadow anymore.

She helped Hyacinth pack, and prepare for her escape.  They had it all perfectly planned, they would leave late at night and no one would know they were gone until morning.

At least that's what they thought.

She waited until Hyacinth and Aiden where partway through their kingdom until she went to inform her parents.

"Mother, Father," she said sweetly and desperately as she barged into their room.  She pinched herself to force suede tears into her eyes as she stared sadly at the two.  

"What is it my child?" her father asked worriedly as he looked at his younger child.

"I promised her I wouldn't tell," she whispered sadly a smug smirk crossing her lips for only a second though it was unseen in the low light.  "She made me promised father, she made me swear I wouldn't say a word."

"Is it Hyacinth?" her mother asked the two becoming more and more worried by the second.  "Please, if she is in dangers tell us what it is.  She'll understand."

_'Of course,'_ she thought snidely to herself.  _'Of course they worry for darling Hyacinth.'_

"She ran away," she said covering her face for effect.  "She's been secretly seeing a teacher for months now and I didn't tell you because she made me promise and she said she was in love with him.  She ran away with him, they're going to elope.  She said you wouldn't understand, that you wouldn't let him marry her so she ran away with him."

Her parents gasped as they quickly went to work sending out guards to find the two.

When the two were found, a trial was held and she just couldn't wait to see the look on Hyacinth's face when she realised that her one true love was to be condemned to death by her own parents.  Revenge would be sweet, how she longed for its taste.

But it didn't turn out that way, not even close, because that it turned out that Aiden was really the prince and future king of the Avalon Kingdom who had ran away looking for love, for someone who wasn't after him because of his kingdom and status.

So the two were married, their destiny now to live happily ever after.  Their two kingdoms were combined and she was left with nothing, not even a title in either.

Hyacinth figured out what she had done and banned her from both kingdoms, though they had now just become the one.

And now, as she had tried to retrieve what was hers and once again two mere children denied her it that believed that what they had was the same undying love that Aiden and Hyacinth had supposedly shared.

It was almost ironic you know.  

For so many years the family of her previous kingdom and that of the Li's had been trying so hard to push them together, but it seemed that both had decided to let this generation to find love on their own.  It seemed that when they had finally stopped trying to join the two that they finally come together.

But she couldn't let it be that way, because while they were apart, while they were so far from holy matrimony she still had a chance.

And while she still had a chance for victory that meant that they still had a chance for failure.

~ *©* ~

So how was that?  I finally gave evil lady a name and I guess you kind of get an idea of why she's doing all this crap.  She's one hell of a bitch, I mean what kind of person would want to kill their niece let alone emotionally destroy their own sister?  You know I think I like her already.

I made them Hyacinth and Rose because they are both flowers which are really pretty and because the rose often symbolises that fact that evil can come in many visages.

So anyway, please review.  I'm actually surprised I got so many reviews because I myself don't actually like reading the medieval CCS fics, actually I'm surprised I'm still writing this.

So like I said, press the go button down the bottom (and don't change the instruction bit) and tell me what you think about it.


	16. Remembering My Hearts Desire

Disclaimer – I don't own Card Captor Sakura, though Rose and Sapphire and the cook, and the bosses and the maid in the earlier chapters, at least I think there was a maid . . . oh never mind.

Ok, I'm really sorry that I haven't updated this in a very long time but I've be suffering from major writers block and what not, which I'm still not over so I can't promise that the next one will be up any time soon.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and forgive me for the long wait so I guess there's nothing else to say but on with the fic.

Queen of my Heart – Remembering my Heart's Desire

"Syaoran," Sakura said softly from her position lying in Syaoran's arms.

She had to hold back a sigh from just being in this place of contented bliss.  She could hardly believe she had lived without it for so long.

The two had decided to take a walk together in the gardens strengthening the roots that had never left them.  Syaoran sat against the tree wrapping his arms tightly around her and pulling her closer to him.

"Hmm," he nodded against her shoulder.

He'd almost forgotten how good it felt to hear his name form on her perfect lips over all these years.  It sounded like the sweet song of the swallow in spring filling his senses with a joy he had long since forgotten existed.

"It was just thinking," she began nervously turning her face slightly to face his.  She breathed in his scent; it was like a mixture of peonies and cedar wood a scent that she was never able to forget.  "Syaoran, where do we go from here?" she asked a little more confident but still hesitant in fear of his response.

She didn't want him to think that she was suddenly one of those clingy girlfriends who had to have their entire relationship planned out from their first kiss to their youngest child's graduation, she just wanted to know.

"Well I was thinking that maybe I would buy you a ring next week and ask you to marry me," he stated casually.

Sakura gasped and pushed herself out of his arms so she could get a better look at his face.  All she could see was the sincere look in his eyes that told her he wasn't lying to her.

Syaoran smiled at the shocked look that had formed on her face, but he wasn't finished yet.

"But then I realized," he said very slowly reaching towards his pocket so that Sakura wouldn't notice.  

He saw her face drop and tears well in her eyes as she looked away from his face.  He hated what he was doing to her, but it was all in a good cause, he couldn't wait to see the look on her face, maybe he should have brought a camera or at least let Madison hide in the tree like she had asked him.

"That I already had one," he finished seriously as he revealed a small velvet box.

Sakura looked up at him her tears of pain now turning to tears of joy as his words began to sink.  Her mouth opened slightly as she stared at the box cautiously waiting to see what happened next hoping it wasn't a joke like the first part of his speech had been.

He gently opened the box as he got up on one knee in the traditional manner.  It was an elegant white-gold ring with diamonds, rubies and emeralds shaped to form a cheery blossom and a heart either side of the jewel formation.  The outside of the band had been engraved with the Li Kingdom symbols and the inside simply stated the obvious 'Syaoran & Sakura, Always & Forever'.

"Will you marry me, my sweet Ying Fa?" he asked her using a pet name that only he alone was allowed to refer to her by.

More tears welled in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around him and sobbed happily into his shoulder.  

"Come on Sakura," he told her a hint of teasing in his voice, "the thought of marrying me can't be that bad can it?"

"Of course not," she said looking into his eyes.  "It's just I'm," she began trying to figure out exactly how to explain why she was crying when she wasn't even sure herself.  "Yes Syaoran, yes I'll marry you."

"Really?" he asked her not quite able to believe it.

Sakura nodded her head eagerly.  "I couldn't think of anything I'd rather do," she added.

Syaoran smiled one of his smiles that had only become rarer over their years as he slipped the delicate ring onto her finger.

Sakura watched him as he did so amazed at it's perfect fit and the way that it felt so right and natural on her finger, as if it was always meant to be there.  It made her feel more complete than she already was, as if this was just another thing tying them back together like they belonged.

Syaoran caressed her cheek lightly as he tilted her head up to face his own and seal their love with a passionate kiss.  He didn't think he could ever get tired of kissing Sakura.  Every time it just brought more and more joy to his now perfect existence as he now had her by his side forever.

Syaoran smiled again as he took her in his arms and leaned back on the tree moving back into his previous position with his now fiancée.

Yeah, he knew it was a bit soon, I mean it had only been two weeks since he had found her outside and the whole time he had barely had her to himself for more than a few minutes even if they did seem like forever, but you had to remember that they had lost three years of a life they easily could have been spending together for reasons that still remained unknown to them.

A love like theirs was never meant to die, and that was the one thing that had stopped him from giving up when the first army had returned with no news of her location.

He thought about all the things that had happened in the last three years, the longest years of his life.

Zachary and Chelsea had got married for starters and he and Eriol had both shared the position of best man at the wedding.  Eriol and Madison had been going out for about a year and a half now, he figured that Eriol would probably be popping this very same question in the not so distant future.  Tori and Ruby were having another baby hopefully, at least from Tori's opinion, a baby boy but if it was a girl they had planned to call her Sakrua to keep her memory alive though it was no longer needed anymore as the one and only Sakura could keep it alive herself.  Mei Lin had actually found herself a boyfriend after all these years who had quite surprisingly been accepted by her family even though he wasn't exactly what you would call noble blood.

And the most important of all, at least to him anyway, the fact that he had become king even though his parents had sworn not to give it to him until he was married.

But now he had something that put even the kingship of one of the most powerful kingdoms to shame.  He had Sakura back, the only person he could ever love and could never live without.

He couldn't be happier except for if he could get rid of the sinking feeling he got that evil was lurking around the corner, waiting to ruin his perfect happiness once again and that whatever it was, it was the reason for Sakura's disappearance to begin with.

"Tell me what you remember of the day you disappeared," Syaoran said suddenly.

Sakura again turned her head to face her now future husband as she told him of everything that had happened to her over the past three years, especially of the day in the stables.

She had been waiting for him to arrive when she felt a hand wrap a cloth around her mouth.  She had tried to scream but when she did everything had started to go cloudy as the drugs had taken their desired effect over her.

By the time she had finished retelling her story it was already getting dark and they knew it was time for them to return to the castle.

Syaoran sighed as he watched the last light fad from the sky.  "I suppose it's time we go," he said softly as the sky began to fill with stars.  He recognized one particular star as one he wished on years ago for Sakura to come back to him and now that she had he silently thanked it as it gazed down on the couple shinning brightly.

"Just hold me a little longer," she begged breathlessly as she tiredly closed her eyes and curled into his chest.

He looked down at the vulnerable princess, his fiancée in his arms and smiled lovingly as he pushed the stray strands away from her heart shaped face.  "Funnily enough, I don't think I could ever let you go," he whispered as he planted a gentle kiss on her forward as she fell asleep in his arms.

It seemed that finally all the excitement and chaos of the past few weeks had taken a toll on her

"I love you," she muttered quietly in her sleep as he picked her up and began to carry her back into the castle.

He smiled and kissed her again.  "I love you too, Ying Fa."

Rose screamed as she watched.

She always screamed when she watched them.  They were just so putridly . . . cute.

Oh all this lovey-dovey crap that they seemed to enjoy spewing at her was really beginning to get to her.  I mean really, at first it was kind of sweet but after awhile it really does get too much.

They were worse than her sister and that silly Avalon fool she had insisted upon marrying and that was truly saying a lot.  She had imagined she would never have to see anything more sickening then those two but it seemed Syaoran and Sakura just took the cake.  

Yuck, even their names seemed to fit each other ever so perfectly.  It was almost as if the two were never meant to be apart.  As if they were destined for one another their whole lives.

I suppose everyone thought it was true.  It was even part of an ancient prophecy that she herself had tried to ruin, or at least turn things her way.

But of course that didn't work because they were just oh so in love and they would never give up on each other.  God, they made her sick.

Oh this was just going to make ruining their lives that much sweeter.

~ to be continued ~

I'm so proud of myself for finally finishing this chapter.  I've been trying to write it for about as long as I can remember.  Now it's all just the rather simple matter of writing the next chapter.  

Wish me good luck, I'm sure a few reviews might help me get into the writing mood a bit more *hint* *hint*.


	17. Don't Say It's Perfect

I was looking through this story and realized I have no inclination to finish it. The style of what is to come is kinda outside of my writing range and I've just left it so long I know it's not going anywhere. But looking at this, I did notice that the first arc is complete, and if I leave the story at this chapter, there is a small sense of closure even thought there are some questions about the vague impending doom written through out. Anyway, I've decided to leave this story here and call it for the most part complete. If I ever decide to carry on the second arc, I'll post it in the same story, but for now this is done and I'm sorry to anyone who feels a bit shafted by this. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited, and alerted. All was much appreciated.

Disclaimer – I don't own CCS.

Queen of my Heart – Don't Say It's Perfect

"This is wonderful!" Yelan cheered as she danced her son and his future wife around the room consecutively. "We really must tell everyone straight away. We need to set a date. My son is getting married!" Yelan continued to ramble happily.

It was almost odd to see the woman in such a state.

Even Syaoran – who had known her his entire life – had never seen her this happy about anything. Then again, this was the day of her only son's engagement, why wouldn't she be happy?

"Who to call first?" Yelan asked herself as she flicked through one of her many address books. "Your sisters, of course."

Syaoran's eyes widened in horror at the thought of what his mother was about to do. He couldn't let it happen. He didn't want to think about what his sisters were going to do when they found out.

They'd probably rush to the castle straight away and then instead of just the one there would be four exaggerated versions of his mother dancing around the room excitedly as if this was the happiest day of their lives, even happier than their own weddings and engagements. Except with these versions there would also be the cheek pinching kind added for effect and he was sure that Sakura had been given more than enough of that treatment in the last week to last her lifetime.

He was surprised she still wanted to marry him after coming face to face with his not nearly distant enough family.

"Mother please," Syaoran said half pleading on his hands and knees, half stern and commanding, "anything but that."

"But Syaoran," Yelan begged her son who shook his head.

"What about just Xie-Fa?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"Fuutie?"

Same response.

"How about Wei?"

"No."

"The elders?"

"No."

"What about . . ."

"No."

"Syaoran . . ."

"No."

"Mrs. Li," Sakura began trying to make sense of the conversation.

"Oh Sakura please, call me Yelan," she said happily. "Or better still," she added as an afterthought as her eyes lit up happily, "why don't you call me mother?"

Sakura smiled awkwardly but knew it was probably best to comply with Yelan's wishes for now.

"You see, what I think Syaoran mean's is that we kind of just want to keep our engagement to just ourselves for a day or two before we tell the world," Sakura explained looking to her fiancé for support. "We just don't want people to think that were rushing into things even though we know that we really love each other."

"Why didn't you just say that from the start?" Yelan asked turning to Syaoran and then back to Sakura. "Oh, of course dear, I understand. I remember Syaoran's father and I were much the same way when we got engaged. We weren't sure what people were going to think, especially with all that was going on between the Li Kingdom and the Yawa's. Sometimes it's just best to keep this sort of thing between the two of you while you get used to it. I mean it does take a little getting used to introducing him as your fiancé rather than your boyfriend."

Sakura blushed for a second but shook it off as something else grabbed her attention. "Yawa, that was my mother's kingdom," Sakura stated more to herself than anyone else.

"Yes, I do believe it was," Yelan said happily. "I remember what a lovely person your mother used to be. She was always so cheerful, much like you Sakura, and she would always sacrifice her own happiness for other people, accept of course when it came to love.

"To her love was more important than anything else in the world and she was even willing to go against her family to prove that," Yelan sighed wistfully as she recalled a forgotten memory. "She loved your father so much and she would have given up everything that ever seemed important to her before just to be with him forever.

"She would have been so proud of you, you followed your heart despite any odds and it lead you to true loves desire. You never lost sight of what lay within your heart and that will always be enough."

"Thank you," Sakura said quietly as small tears welled in her eyes. She had always hoped that her mother would be proud of her and of the life she was living and Yelan voicing that was like a wish come true.

Yelan smiled and wrapped her arms around Sakura in a light hug. "My dear," she said softly so Syaoran wouldn't hear, "I can't think of anyone I would rather have marrying my son and if I could choose anyone in the world to be his bride I would always pick you."

Sakura whispered yet another thank you as she embraced her future mother in-law in a hug almost as if it were her own mother.

It seemed as though life truly couldn't get any better than this.

* * *

"Stupid brat," Rose muttered. "Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse she decides to have a stupid heart felt chat with her mother in-law. They all make me so sick."

"Madame," a voice called cutting off her angry ramblings.

Of course, it was that blasted assistant of hers, Ivanhoe that just seemed to be utterly incapable of doing anything on his own. Really, if it weren't for the fact that he was a demon and practically invincible she would have gotten rid of him a long time ago.

The fact that he was so closely attached to her dark powers probably played in his favour too.

They say that some people are alive simply because it's a illegal to kill, well Ivanhoe was simply alive because it would be a complete and utter waste of time to kill, who cared if it was legal. Knowing her luck he'd probably resurrect himself within seconds and the giver of her powers wouldn't be too impressed with her behaviour either.

Rose sighed haughtily as she turned around from where she was surveying how things were going in the Li kingdom.

"What is it Ivan?" she sighed again. "My day is already ruined so whatever you have to say, say it now and say it fast."

"M-ma-mad-d-dame," Ivanhoe stuttered as he tried so hard to slink away into the corners.

"I'm waiting," she hissed glaring at him.

"Th-the-they, I-I m-mean, the A-av-ava-l-lon's th-they're, they're looking for you."

"What!" she screamed.

"I-it's T-to-yai," he forced out slinking further and further into the dark shadows that scattered through the blood red furnished room. "S-su-som-some-w-one s-s-s-s-suggested th-that m-maybe you w-were involved. He w-wants . . . he wants to talk to y-you."

"But I thought I was dead," Rose said glaring at her pitiful assistant. "I was told that they all thought I was dead and that no one would ever come looking for me. That **no one**would come looking for me and that in the end we would both be happy. Are you saying I was lied to? Are you happy Ivanhoe?"

"No!" Ivanhoe insisted quickly. "Y-you k-know t-th-that is h-his p-power. He kn-knows wa-what is a-l-live and wa-what is dead."

"Yes, of course, just like his evil she-bitch of a mother," Rose hissed spitefully. "I suppose he has the power to reach out to the dead, to act as a median between the living and the dead. And I suppose he hasn't a clue of any of this and puts it all down to intuition and a few too many mai tai's at the Christmas do?" Rose question rhetorically looking out her window and glaring into the night.

"But of course my dear," a deep voice not belonging to the annoying Ivanhoe replied to her walking up beside her. "He would not be her son if he didn't."

"And what about the daughter? I suppose she has no clue either of the power she holds, of the power she will bare if they have their way," Rose continued angrily.

"You would be correct in that assumption Rose," the deep voice replied from right beside her but she didn't turn to face him. "She does not know her future, or even what she is now. She barely knows her past, and sometimes that is all you humans have."

"It is well to remember that you were once human too, master," she replied looking to the demon caped in a shadowy cloak of death.

He was, as she said, her master, the giver of her powers. He was the reason she had not died when she was exiled from a kingdom which so rightly belonged to her. He was the reason for the many minions that worshiped her and cowered under her violet stare.

But he was only part of the reason for the pure evil that coursed through her veins, the evil that she drew the powers he had so charitably given unto her from.

There were many things that could have been the cause for it.

Perhaps it was the fact that she had rather coincidently be born on Friday the 13th under a full moon at exactly 6 minutes and 6 seconds after midnight. But then again, that would all just be far too cliché.

Maybe it was from that time when she was bitten by a white cat with piercing Ruby eyes. But then it hadn't been too fond of dear little Hyacinth either.

It could be the lack of love and nurture she was given by her parents, the way she was always pushed out of Nadeshiko's light. But, of course, she was sure this had begun long before that.

So perhaps there is another reason, that we are as they say, depraved, currupt and utterly hopeless. Maybe some are simply born evil, destined to be on the side of evil, never meant to be part of the light.

I suppose if that is truly the case, then Rose was one destine for the darkness the shadows held so inviting. One always meant to find comfort in the shrouded, grey area's of life that no one else seemed to understand but her.

But the darkness was her home, and he was the landlord you could say. He held the key to her powers.

"You must act now," he spoke suddenly in his monotonous, unfeeling voice.

"I know," she replied nodding her head. "They are engaged, and if I know Yelan, it will not be a short engagement."

"Their power grows," he said his tone never varying. "That's all you need to worry about."

"But what a . . ." Rose began only to be cut off.

"I will send you the shadow warriors tomorrow," he told her. "Do what you like until then, but tomorrow we are preparing for war."

Rose nodded.

Their cause may not be right, but in the end, they would be what was left.

She would do everything in her power to make sure of that.

~ The End ~


End file.
